Long Island To Get First Open Heart Transplant Center

A request to open the first open heart transplant center on Long Island has been recommended to be approved by the NYS Public Health and Health Planning Council, Northwell Health officials said on Wednesday.

The center would open at Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset.

Of the 4,015 people currently on the heart transplant list, 337 people are from New York, according to Northwell Health.

“In other words, nearly 10 percent of those waiting for a heart are from New York State,” Brian Lima, MD, Northwell Health’s newly appointed director of heart transplantation surgery, said in a press release. “We are very proud of the fact that Northwell will be housing the first heart transplant center on Long Island.”

David Majure, MD, medical director of Northwell’s mechanical circulatory support program, said a center on Long Island would help patients avoid traveling to Manhattan, the Bronx or beyond to receive care from their physicians.

Linda Sainvil, of Queens Village, joined Northwell Health officials to discuss her three open heart surgeries, the last of which involved an LVAD implant, a left ventricular assisted device that is commonly referred to as “the bridge to transplant.” Sainvil was on the open heart transplant list for 14 months.

“I am one of the lucky ones,” Sainvil said. “I received my new heart just six weeks ago and I just want to thank my doctors here at NSUH who fought so hard to help me achieve transplant. I often think of the families who have to experience the death of a loved one for those of us on a transplant list to receive the gift of life. I pray that Northwell has great success with this program.”

Hicksville resident Rene Nardin is still waiting for a transplant. Nardin, who already survived two open heart surgeries and four heart attacks, underwent LVAD surgery in May 2016 for a debilitating heart condition. Nardin had his first heart attack 19 years ago.

According to Northwell Health, heart failure affects about five million Americans with almost one million new cases diagnosed each year. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough healthy hearts to go around for transplants and New York State is last nationally in terms of organ donation, data says.

While patients wait for organ transplants, Sen. Elaine Phillips (R-Manhasset), as well as cardiac patients and their doctors, joined forces to encourage residents to “have a heart” and sign up for organ donation.

“It would mean the world to me to get a transplant,” Nardin said. “I am the face of all people in need of the gift of life.”

His wife, Ms. Nardin, signed an organ donor card to show her support. “Not a day goes by that I don’t hope and pray for a new heart to come in for my husband,” she said. “We also realize that someone has to die in order for my husband to get an organ. We are waiting for a miracle.”

“Every 18 hours, a New Yorker dies wanting for a transplant,” Natalie Benavides, vice president of external affairs for LiveOnNY, the sponsor of Organ Donor Enrollment Day, said. “The good news is that 4,000 people nationwide agreed to sign up to become a donor on this day last year. It is our sincere hope that we can beat that total today.”

To sign on to become an organ donor, visit LongLiveNY.org.

Image via Northwell Health: Joining together to urge New Yorkers to enroll as organ donors are back row, from left: David Majure, MD, medical director of mechanical circulatory support (LVAD) at the Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital; Brian Lima, MD, director of heart transplantation surgery at Northwell Health; and State Senator Elaine Phillips. Front row, from left: Rhonda Nardin, wife of Rene Nardin, who is on the heart transplant list; and Linda Sainvil, who received a new heart six weeks ago.