For the first time in Azerbaijan, a successful heart transplant was performed at the Central Clinical Hospital in Baku by a cardiovascular surgical team led by a surgeon trained in Türkiye.
The recipient was a young adult in their 20s suffering from severe heart failure. The donor was a brain-dead individual who had died in a traffic accident. The transplant procedure was successfully completed, and the patient has since been discharged in good health, signaling a significant development in organ transplantation within Azerbaijan.
This operation was made possible after Azerbaijan updated its organ donation and transplantation laws in 2022. A Cabinet decision established the Organ Donor and Transplant Coordination Center to manage organ transplants from deceased donors. While kidney, liver and other organ transplants had been performed before, this was the first heart transplant in Azerbaijan and the South Caucasus.
The successful transplant reflects the legal framework, public acceptance of organ donation and medical expertise now meeting international standards. The lead surgeon said Azerbaijan is now able to perform such complex procedures confidently.
The surgeon, who trained in Türkiye and focused his thesis on heart transplantation, said: “Our team has worked on developing heart transplant capabilities. The patient was a young adult with end-stage heart failure. The donor’s heart was a compatible match, and the transplant was successful. We are thankful the patient recovered.”
He expressed condolences to the donor and gratitude to the donor’s family for agreeing to organ donation, which saved a life and offered hope to others.
