A 19-year-old boy received the first heart transplant in Romania in 2026

The first heart transplant in Romania in 2026 was successfully performed on a 19-year-old young man by a team led by Horațiu Suciu, the head of the Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and Transplant in Târgu Mureș. The intervention took place after the heart was harvested from a 22-year-old donor who was in a state of brain death, under difficult weather conditions with almost zero visibility.

The IGSU Black Hawk helicopter flew over the national road to ensure a safe route. The operation lasted about five hours, and Dr. Suciu emphasized the importance of the medical team's solidarity in saving the patient's life. The young man had been hospitalized since October and had an implanted circulatory assist device. The doctor expressed hope that this transplant would pave the way for others, in a context where the number of donors has decreased. He also thanked the donor's family for their decision to provide a chance for life.