Doctors in Lviv performed a unique double heart transplant operation. Twenty-year-old Vitaliy Dats from Yavoriv received two donor hearts within three days. The first failed an hour after the transplant, but the second saved his life.
Vitaliy’s story began with a viral cold he caught in Poland. After a sudden deterioration in his health, the young man returned home, where he was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a dangerous disease in which the heart loses its ability to pump blood. His condition was also complicated by arrhythmia, which led doctors to implant a cardioverter-defibrillator. But the device, which was supposed to save his life, began to shock Vitalii uncontrollably. In critical condition, the young man was taken to St. Panteleimon Hospital, where his heart had virtually stopped working. In one night, he received more than 20 electric shocks — 800 volts each.
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A donor heart was found a week later. It was transplanted and even began to work. But within an hour, it stopped. The patient was connected to an ECMO machine — a system that temporarily performs the functions of the heart and lungs. Despite the extremely low probability, another donor appeared in less than 52 hours. The team of cardiac surgeons performed a repeat transplant.
According to Roman Domashich, head of the Heart and Vascular Centre, Vitaliy’s case is an example of exceptional teamwork and a medical miracle. Doctors fought for his life for almost a month, and today the young man’s heart is working steadily. Ahead of him lies a long period of rehabilitation and follow-up care.
This case is not only a rare medical practice, but also a story about strength, endurance and the second chance that Vitaliy received thanks to the timely actions of the team of transplantologists and the donation system in Ukraine.
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