First in Our Hearts

1968 – First heart transplant in Virginia (and 9th in the country,16th worldwide) takes place at MCV; 557 completed to date
1972 – MCV wins landmark Tucker Trial involving a human heart transplant; for the first time, death can be defined by “brain death”
1977 – First long-distance heart transplant in the world occurs at MCV
1981 – International Heart Lung Society created by MCV physician
1986 – First heart-lung transplant in Virginia takes place at MCV
1994 – First LVAD implanted at MCV
2006 – First total artificial heart implanted on the East Coast at VCU

VCU Health has the longest-running cardiac transplantation program on the East Coast and the second oldest in the nation.