Taiwan has made medical history with the world’s first heart transplant that never stopped beating, offering new hope for heart patients globally by eliminating tissue damage during surgery.
At a Glance
- National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) has performed the world’s first heart transplant with zero ischemic time
- The innovative procedure keeps the donor heart continuously beating before, during, and after removal, eliminating the risk of tissue damage
- A 49-year-old female patient with dilated cardiomyopathy has recovered successfully with excellent heart function
- The groundbreaking technique uses a custom organ care system inspired by ECMO technology
- This advancement could revolutionize heart transplantation by improving outcomes and potentially reducing waiting lists
A Revolutionary Approach to Heart Transplantation
In a significant medical breakthrough, surgeons at National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) have successfully performed the world’s first heart transplant with zero ischemic time. This novel approach keeps the donor heart continuously beating throughout the entire transplantation process, marking a profound shift in transplant medicine. Traditional heart transplants require stopping the donor heart and preserving it in cold storage during transport, which can lead to tissue damage when blood flow is restored. NTUH’s innovation eliminates this risk by maintaining uninterrupted blood circulation to the heart.
The NTUH team developed a specialized mobile organ care system (OCS) inspired by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) technology. This system includes pumps, oxygenators, and reservoirs that continuously perfuse the donor heart with oxygenated blood, keeping it functioning outside the body. Unlike other preservation methods that still involve some period of cold storage, this technique achieves true zero ischemic time by never allowing the heart to stop beating or lose blood supply.
Breakthroughs in transplant tech—from pig kidneys to zero-ischemic heart surgery—made headlines this April, but so did access gaps tied to race, gender, and heat exposure. As #DonateLifeMonth wraps, the need for equity remains urgent.
Learn more: https://t.co/IKNWZdZgwV pic.twitter.com/jd8i7tym2e
— OR Manager (@OR_Manager) April 21, 2025
The First Patient and Clinical Outcomes
The first beneficiary of this groundbreaking procedure was a 49-year-old woman, identified by the surname Su, who suffered from dilated cardiomyopathy. The surgery, performed in August, has been declared a complete success. Post-operative tests revealed low levels of cardiac enzymes, indicating minimal heart muscle injury—a significant improvement over conventional transplant outcomes. Su has since resumed normal daily activities with excellent heart function, demonstrating the procedure’s effectiveness.
NTUH has now completed two successful transplants using this technique and plans to refine the system for broader application. With approximately 700 heart transplants already performed at their facility, the hospital has extensive experience in cardiac transplantation. Their achievement differs significantly from previous research, such as work done at Stanford University, because the NTUH method achieves true zero ischemic time with continuous cardiac function throughout the entire process.
Implications for the Future of Transplant Medicine
The NTUH team’s innovation has been documented in the article “First-in-human Zero-Ischemia-Time Beating-Heart Transplant,” accepted for publication in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Techniques. This publication could lead to changes in global transplant protocols as the medical community evaluates the benefits of this approach. For patients awaiting heart transplants, this technique offers the potential for better post-surgical outcomes and possibly even extended viability of donor organs.
As demand for donor hearts continues to increase worldwide, innovations like NTUH’s zero ischemic time transplant offer hope for shorter waiting lists and healthier recoveries. The team is now working to refine the procedure and improve organ maintenance technology for wider application. This Taiwanese medical achievement emphasizes a fundamental goal in transplant medicine: saving lives by reducing complications and improving outcomes for patients with severe cardiac conditions.
