Man Receives Life-Saving Heart Transplant at Miami Transplant Institute After Years of Heart Failure

By: Krysten Brenlla

For many years, Luis Manuel Reyes, 66, was a practicing physicist in Cuba. He moved to the United States to start a new life for his family, launching his own company in maintenance and construction.

Twelve years ago, Reyes suffered a cardiac event that almost took the life he worked so hard for. Ventricular fibrillation is a rare condition where the heart’s lower chambers start beating fast and randomly, affecting the way blood flows to the rest of the body and causing a person to lose consciousness almost immediately.

Because of the cardiac event, Reyes was diagnosed with an enlarged heart and congestive heart failure, which happens when the heart weakens and can’t pump blood effectively.

“I was at work at the time, and I remember my team took me to the nearest hospital, where they shocked me two times – I was practically dead,” Reyes said. “From there, I was transferred to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where they put me on heart failure medications and placed a defibrillator. For 10 years, I was stable. It just came to the point where my heart couldn’t stand it anymore.”

By November 2023, Reyes’ condition had worsened – his abdomen filled with fluid, his feet were swollen, and his energy levels dropped drastically. Recognizing the need for more specialized care, his doctors referred him to the Miami Transplant Institute (MTI), an affiliation between Jackson Health System and UHealth – University of Miami Health System.

At MTI, he met his new care team, including Hoda Butrous, MD, an advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist.

“When I first saw Luis, he was in advanced stage heart failure – he was feeling shortness of breath, his blood pressure was extremely low, and his heart was not pumping enough blood to the rest of his body,” Dr. Butrous said. “He was quickly admitted to our intensive care unit, and our team immediately stabilized and started the evaluation for a heart transplant.”

Reyes’ condition was critical. MTI’s heart failure team needed to work fast to prepare him for a heart transplant – or he could die.

“Everything indicated I wouldn’t be eligible for a heart transplant,” Reyes said. “My heart continued to deteriorate.”

To support his heart function while he was being evaluated for a transplant, Reyes underwent an intra-aortic balloon pump placement – a short-term device that helps the heart pump blood. He was also placed on veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a life-support technology that temporarily assists the heart by providing enough blood flow to support the rest of the body.

After a multidisciplinary selection committee determined he was eligible for a transplant, Reyes was placed on the donor list.

Four days later, a match was found.

“It was a miracle,” Reyes said. “I didn’t have any time left.”

On March 18, 2024, he underwent a successful heart transplant, led by Hari Mallidi, MD, Jackson’s chief of cardiac surgery and director of Jackson Heart Institute.

After the heart transplant, Reyes started to feel like himself again. He spent a few weeks in the hospital recovering, until he was ready to go home.

“The job of the doctors was spectacular, the entire team was fundamental in my care. I have so much to be grateful for,” Reyes said.

“I thought I was going to die. But, my family supported me the whole time, and the team was always there. They made me optimistic throughout this entire journey that everything would be okay.”
Today, Reyes feels better than ever. He walks three miles daily, exercises, and stays active to maintain his heart health.

Ten months after his transplant, results show his body has accepted the new heart – there are no signs of rejection. Reyes is looking forward to many more healthy years with his wife and family.

“To the donor family – it’s the noblest thing to donate,” he said. “I know it’s difficult to lose a family member or a loved one, but thanks to their donation, they saved my life.”