age limit?

[cynthia]

I was just curious...is there an age limit for heart transplants? In that I mean for instance if the patient was 70 yrs. old, would they be able to be put on the transplant list??

[karen cicconetti]

The transplant center where I was done the cut off is 65. But if you were on the list at 64 and they didn't get the heart till you were 68-69 you are able to be transplanted because you were listed prior to age 65. Some centers have different age cut offs but that's the one I know my friend was put on the list just before his 65Th birthday and received his heart 3 days before he turned 69.

Karen

[Midge Rollins]

They just did one at Mayo. He was 70. Looked and acted about 50. He was other wise in good health so that factors in.

[NoCrash]

UCLA has done some work and has good experience with older patients but with donor hearts from older donors that might not be suitable for a younger recipient. They wouldn't put a heart from a 50 year-old in a 30 year old recipient--but a 50 year-old heart in reasonable condition might be OK for an older recipient.

Good question, BTW.

Rob