Charité's German Heart Center Reaches 3,000 Organ Transplants

Berlin's Charité Heart Center Celebrates 3,001st Life-Saving Organ Transplant

Berlin (dpa/bb) — The German Heart Center at Charité (DHZC) has now performed more than 3,000 organ transplants. Between 2021 and 2025, the institution carried out a total of 273 heart, lung, and combined heart-lung transplants, according to a statement. The center describes itself as one of the largest programs of its kind in Germany and Europe.

"Transplant medicine is always teamwork at the highest level. This milestone reflects the dedication of generations of staff—and above all, it represents a new lease on life for our patients," said Volkmar Falk, medical director of the DHZC, in the statement.

3,000th Transplant Completed in January

The 3,000th procedure was a lung transplant performed in January on a 55-year-old man from Magdeburg, the center reported. The patient, a physically active engineer, was diagnosed in 2023 with pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable condition in which lung tissue becomes chronically inflamed, leading to scarring, stiffening, and impaired oxygen absorption. He had been on the transplant waiting list at the DHZC since September. Now nearing discharge, he will soon begin rehabilitation.

That same night, a 51-year-old Berlin woman received the center's 3,001st transplant—a new heart. Born with a congenital heart defect known as tetralogy of Fallot, she has since been released from rehabilitation to recover at home. While she remains cautious about potential complications, the center noted that her confidence and gratitude for this second chance are growing.