News Heart Transplant Program at Seton Austin Expands in 25th Anniversary Year

Austin, Texas- (March 28, 2011) - Seton Medical Center Austin, a member of the Seton Family of Hospitals, recently completed an expansion of its heart specialty care and transplant center at Medical Park Tower. The expansion is intended to help meet the demand for Seton's advanced heart failure services, including heart transplants and ventricular assisted devices (VAD).

The work was completed just in time for the celebration of the heart transplant program's 25th anniversary, taking place on March 30 and in partnership with the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance (TOSA).

Festivities begin at 2 p.m. in the West Tower Pavilion Community Room at Seton Austin. More than 150 heart transplant patients, donor families, treating physicians and Seton and TOSA friends are expected to attend the celebration. Seton Austin is the only hospital in Central Texas to perform heart transplants.

With increased consumer needs for complex care related to heart failure, Seton has seen demand for its specialty care services increase nearly 25 percent each year. The renovation has doubled the number of exam rooms, and the center plans to add new services and doctors as well as hire a first-ever full-time medical director.

In addition to services such as drug therapy and also caring for pulmonary hypertension patients, the Seton Heart Specialty Care center offers surgical implantation of VADs, a service that has seen significant growth. A VAD is a mechanical circulatory device that is used to partially or completely replace the function of a failing heart. Some VADs are temporary, typically for patients recovering from heart surgery or waiting a heart transplant, while others are long term, generally for those suffering from congestive heart failure.

According to Elizabeth Murrah, MS, RN, NEA-BC, director of the Seton Health Specialty Care and Transplant Center, "As technology and treatment improve, the possibility that advanced heart failure can be treated and that quality of life can be maintained is more widely understood."

Murrah explained that while a decade ago a VAD patient was required to wheel a device connected to their heart, today the device is slipped on like a slim backpack. "Heart failure patients now have many more choices," said Murrah.

Patients, donor families, Seton and TOSA friends and associates are welcome to attend. In addition to a special film screening organized by TOSA, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez will deliver a proclamation. Seton will also unveil a new formal partnership with TOSA, Seton Donate Life.

The Seton Family strives to provide top-quality care for patients with complex cardiology conditions, which was the impetus for the recent formation of the Seton Heart Institute (SHI). SHI, a practice of cardiovascular specialists integrated into health care facilities throughout Central Texas, allows greater convenience for patients to receive high-quality cardiovascular care.