Transplants review after deaths

Four heart transplant patients died between July and September

The outcome of a review carried out at a north-west London hospital after four people died with a month of undergoing heart transplants will be published.

The independent review into Harefield Hospital's transplant programme began after the patients died consecutively between July and September this year.

The Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust said the operations were carried out by three different surgeons.

The review began on 10 October following an internal inquiry.

Survival rates

Heart transplant surgeon Professor Robert Bonser, from University Hospital Birmingham, and transplant cardiologist Dr Jayan Parameshwar, from Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, conducted the independent review.

They looked at seven transplant deaths that took place at the hospital this year - four deaths within 30 days, two deaths between 30 to 90 days of the operation and one death beyond the 90 days period.

Until October this year 15 heart transplant operations were performed of which 11 patients survived the 30-day post-operation period.

Last year 24 patients underwent the procedure and and no deaths were reported within a month of the surgery.

Last month a spokeswoman for the trust said they routinely monitor the operations and collect data on survival rates.

"Over the summer months of 2008, the trust noted a small increase in mortality rates within 30 days of heart transplant surgery and, specifically, that the small number of deaths had occurred consecutively."

Following the internal review the National Specialised Commissioning Team (NSC Team), Department of Health and the Healthcare Commission ordered an external review.