Vanderbilt Transplant Center Sets World Record with 174 Heart Transplants in 2024

According to a Jan. 13 press release, in 2024 the Vanderbilt Transplant Center set a world record by performing 174 adult and pediatric heart transplants. The press release said, “The number of patients whose lives were saved by Vanderbilt’s heart transplant team far surpasses any previous total by an individual transplant center.”

In 2024, more than 500 patients were referred to Vanderbilt for transplant consideration from more than 15 states, including patients considered too high risk for transplant at other programs. 

“Vanderbilt transplanted 36% more hearts in 2024 than 2023. In 2024, 10 of the lifesaving procedures were performed on pediatric patients,” the release added.

“I have to say, even I was surprised at the final number of transplants,” said Ashish Shah, MD, professor and chair of Cardiac Surgery. “But this one year was really built on 10 years of hard work, innovation and our reputation to do difficult things.”

The transplant team includes cardiologists and cardiac surgeons, intensivists, nurses, advanced practice providers, pharmacists, social workers, case managers, rehab specialists, financial coordinators, nutritionists, organ procurement coordinators, preservationists, operating room staff, cardiac anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists, among others.