Oklahoma Children's Hospital OU Health's Decade-Long Journey to Achieve Its First Pediatric Heart Transplant

Oklahoma Children's Hospital OU Health has achieved a monumental milestone with its first pediatric heart transplant in 30 years. The successful transplant, performed on Oct. 6, 2024, was the culmination of years of planning, collaboration, and dedication.

A multidisciplinary team at the hospital successfully performed the life-saving procedure on a 10-month-old who had been hospitalized for nearly 300 days following a diagnosis of complex congenital heart disease including critical heart valve disease. This accomplishment establishes Oklahoma Children’s Hospital as the state’s only pediatric heart transplant center, ensuring that children no longer need to travel out of state for this essential care.

“This transplant marks the final step in ensuring that children of Oklahoma access all cardiac care locally,” said pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Harold Burkhart, M.D., professor of surgery and Chief of the Division of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and director of the Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgical Program at Oklahoma Children's Hospital.

“This incredibly important milestone is 10 years in the making, and I am deeply honored and immensely proud of our team’s life-saving efforts."

The journey to become one of approximately 65 health systems offering this highly specialized pediatric surgical care for children took a decade of preparation, strategizing, and training.

2014: Building the Foundation

In 2014, Dr. Burkhart, a renowned pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon, joined Oklahoma Children's Hospital from the Mayo Clinic with a vision to build a world-class pediatric cardiac surgery program. Dr. Burkhart's expertise and leadership were instrumental in laying the foundation for the future transplant program.

2021: Dr. Edens Joins the Team

In September 2021, Dr. R. Erik Edens, M.D., Ph.D., came to Oklahoma to build the advanced pediatric heart failure and heart transplant program at Oklahoma Children's Hospital OU Health. Coming from the Children’s Minnesota, where he started the pediatric heart transplant program, Dr. Edens now serves as the Medical Director of Heart Failure and Transplant at Oklahoma Children's Hospital OU Health Heart Center in Oklahoma City.

2022: Establishing the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

To prepare for the transplant program, Oklahoma Children's Hospital opened the state's only 25-bed pediatric cardiac intensive care unit in 2022. This unit is dedicated exclusively to children with heart conditions, including those awaiting transplants.

January 2024: Listing the First Pediatric Patient

In January 2024, the Oklahoma Children's Hospital OU Health Heart Center listed its first pediatric patient for a donor heart with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). This marked a significant step toward making pediatric heart transplants a reality in Oklahoma.

March 2024: Adding Parker Helmerich to the Heart Transplant List

In March 2024, Parker Helmerich was added to the heart transplant list. Born in Tulsa in December 2023 with a complex congenital heart defect, Parker was airlifted to Oklahoma Children's Hospital to receive urgent, specialized cardiac care under the expertise of Dr. Burkhart. His medical journey was fraught with challenges, ultimately leading to his placement on the transplant list as part of his ongoing battle for life.

Oct. 6, 2024: The First Successful Pediatric Heart Transplant

On October 6, 2024, a multidisciplinary team of over 20 OU Health physicians, nurses, and staff successfully performed the first pediatric heart transplant in decades at Oklahoma Children's Hospital. This historic achievement established the hospital as the only pediatric heart transplant center in Oklahoma, ensuring that children in the state no longer need to travel elsewhere for this life-saving care.

The Impact and Future Promise

The team at Oklahoma Children's Hospital utilizes the latest treatment protocols and advanced techniques, contributing to significant medical breakthroughs in pediatric cardiac care. The ability to offer pediatric heart transplants reflects OU Health's commitment to providing top-tier medical care and advancing healthcare services for children across Oklahoma and the surrounding region. This achievement enables Oklahoma families to access critical care close to home, reducing the emotional and financial burdens of seeking out-of-state treatment.

Oklahoma Children's Hospital OU Health's Heart Center is the only pediatric heart transplant program in the state, ensuring comprehensive care for children with heart conditions. The hospital's nationally recognized pediatric cardiac surgery team performs over 500 surgeries annually, with a survival rate exceeding the national average. This success has earned the program multiple accolades, including recognition as a Top 50 Best Children's Hospital for Pediatric Cardiology & Heart Surgery by U.S. News & World Report for consecutive years.

Learn more about our comprehensive pediatric heart transplant program and heart care for children or speak with one of our experts at (405) 271-4411.