Listing for Transplant

Patients awaiting cardiac transplant will be listed in one of 3 active categories – Status 1A, Status 1B, Status 2. The following guidelines describe the clinical circumstances that determine under which category the patient will be listed.

Status 1A

• Mechanical devices (VAD for < 30 days, ECMO, IABP, ventilator)
• VADs > 30 days with device related complications
• High dose single inotropes with pulmonary artery catheter
• dobutamine at 7.5 mcg
• milrinone at .5 mcg
• Multiple inotropes with pulmonary artery catheter

Status 1B

• VAD for > 30 days
• Inotropic support (regardless of location of patient-ICU without PA catheter, floor or home)

Status 2

• All other patients actively listed for heart transplant

Donor hearts are matched to recipients according to blood type and body size. Available donor hearts will be allocated using the following algorithm:

The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) computer will identify all Status 1A patients of the proper blood type and body size in Georgia. The Status 1A patient who has waited the longest as a 1A will receive the donor heart.
In the event there are no Status 1A patients listed in Georgia, the donor heart will go to the Status 1B patient in Georgia who has been listed the longest as a 1B.

If there are no patients in Georgia of the proper blood type and body size listed as Status 1B, the donor heart will go to the patient who has been listed the longest as a Status 2 in Georgia.

If there are no patients listed as Status 2 in Georgia for that particular blood type and body size, the donor heart will go to the patient in the region who has been listed the longest as a Status 1A.

Transplant Center