Canada’s First Non-Beating Heart Transplant: How It Could Transform Organ Donation

In 2025, doctors at Toronto’s University Health Network (UHN) made medical history. For the first time in Canada, they performed a heart transplant using a heart that had stopped beating — a milestone that could save hundreds of lives.

What Makes This Different

Normally, heart transplants use organs from donors who are declared brain-dead but whose hearts are still beating. In this new procedure, the heart comes from someone whose heart has already stopped — known as a Donation after Circulatory Death (DCD). After the heart stops, it’s quickly removed and placed in a special machine that pumps warm, oxygen-rich blood through it, bringing it back to life.

This process, called ex-vivo perfusion, helps doctors check if the heart is strong enough to be transplanted. Once revived, it can be safely placed into the recipient’s chest.

Why It Matters

This new method could increase the number of available donor hearts in Canada by up to 30%. That’s a big deal. Every year, many Canadians die waiting for a heart transplant because there aren’t enough donors. The DCD technique means that more people who die from circulatory causes can become donors — giving others a second chance at life.

The Human Side

The surgery was led by Dr. Seyed Alireza Rabi and a dedicated UHN transplant team. They worked around the clock to prepare, practice, and make sure everything went perfectly. The patient recovered successfully and continues to do well.

Looking Ahead

Experts believe this is just the beginning. As more hospitals adopt this method, fewer families will lose loved ones while waiting. This innovation proves that even a “silent” heart can beat again — and save lives.