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Heart Transplantation
When heart transplantation is the answer, referring physicians should consider a world-renowned, specialized
team who has the depth and experience to handle the acutely ill. That is why Baylor Dallas continues to be chosen
as a treatment destination. United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) reported that approximately 3,000 heart
transplants were performed in 2016. In that same year, Baylor Dallas performed 60 heart transplants, the fifth
largest heart program in the nation.
Leading the
team of world-
renowned transplant
specialists, including
surgeons, transplant
cardiologists, and
advanced practice
providers, are Gonzalo
Gonzalez-Stawinksi,
MD, Chief, Heart
Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support -
Baylor University Medical Center, and Shelley Hall, MD,
Chief, Transplant Cardiology, Mechanical Circulatory
Support and Heart Failure - Baylor University Medical
Center. Members of the Baylor Dallas transplantation
team evaluate patients throughout Texas by traveling
to outreach clinics in Longview, Abilene, Amarillo,
Midland-Odessa and Lubbock.
Heart transplantation patients and their families are faced
with many questions and challenges. A pressing issue
for patients that live more than 50 miles away from one
of our centers is where they will stay prior to and after
the transplant. Twice Blessed House (TBH) solves the
housing issue for Baylor Dallas transplant patients. TBH
is located just steps away from the downtown facilities and
provides a home away from home atmosphere while also
serving as a support group community for those during
their stay. Through frequent community activities, weekly
dinners, activity nights, and other outings, residents
are able to interact with one another, providing hope,
strength, and inspiration. Each of the apartments at TBH
includes amenities you would find at home. Residents
will also have access to a shuttle which provides free
transportation to the hospital and grocery store.
Baylor Dallas’ heart transplantation team continues to
notice the medical community’s increasing interest in the
program’s growth and variety of cases as well as a robust
research initiative. Unique to our facility are the Simmons
Transplant All Organ Research (STARS) database
– a central repository that houses research-focused
information on Baylor Dallas transplant patients – and the
transplant biorepository – a tissue bank of serum and cells
from previous transplant patients that have been collected
and stored since the program’s inception in 1984. These
exclusive resources have allowed Baylor Dallas to pioneer
transplantation research from within the facility walls.
“Our reputation continues to grow worldwide due to our willingness to look at high-risk cases
that other facilities are unable or unwilling to treat. Expanding our program’s resources to
match these patient volumes was critical to our success. With the addition of outstanding
specialists to our transplantation team, we are able to bring our expertise to patients in
multiple locations.”
Shelley Hall, MD, FACC, FHFSA
Chief, Transplant Cardiology, Mechanical Circulatory Support and Heart Failure – Baylor University Medical Center
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR HEART & LUNG TRANSPLANTATION
Groundbreaking cardiovascular research and innovation is at the core of a specialty hospital like Baylor Hamilton Heart
and Vascular Hospital. At the International Society for Heart & Lung Transplantation, Baylor Dallas presented 21
abstracts during the four-day meeting. Robert Gottlieb, MD, advanced heart failure cardiologist on the medical staff
at Baylor University Medical Center at Da