Introduction:

the main goal of heart transplantation is to improve the quality of life and survival of patients with advanced heart failure. Few Latin American countries have a national registry of solid organ transplants, including heart transplants. In Colombia, each institution handles its own statistics.

Objective:

To describe the development of heart transplantation in Colombia from its beginning, as part of the strategy for implementing a national heart transplant registry.

Materials and method:

a descriptive study of the heart transplants performed in all Colombian institutions that performed heart transplants at any time between January 1, 1985, and December 31, 2021. The information was gathered in an electronic format through the Heart Failure, Heart Transplant and Pulmonary Hypertension Chapter of the Asociación Sociedad Colombiana de Cardiología y Cirugía Cardiovascular [Colombian Society of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery Association].

Results:

ten institutions were found in which at least one heart transplant had been performed over a 36-year period (1985 to 2021), for a total of 1,451 heart transplants. Of these procedures, 1,327 (91%) were in adults, 124 (9%) in children, and 80% in males. Furthermore, 26 combined heart transplants have been performed (23 heart/kidney and three heart/lung) as well as 16 heart retransplants.

Conclusion:

the number of heart transplants performed in Colombia is growing. Despite economical, geographical, logistical and donor availability difficulties, among many others, the Colombian transplant institutions, together with the Instituto Nacional de Salud [National Institute of Health], continue to work toward a better and fuller healthcare coverage for those with advanced heart failure requiring heart transplantation and for patients undergoing heart transplantation. This article seeks to initiate a national heart transplant registry.

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