World's First Mirrored Heart-Liver Transplant Saves Rare Patient in Turin

A 32-year-old man from Campania has become the first person with a rare anatomical condition to receive a combined heart and liver transplant. The groundbreaking surgery took place at Turin's Molinette Hospital in February. His organs are a complete mirror image of normal human anatomy, making the procedure exceptionally complex.

The patient was born with situs viscerum inversus, a condition where all internal organs are reversed. He also suffered from severe congenital heart disease, undergoing three open-heart operations over his lifetime. His heart condition later caused liver cirrhosis, which developed into liver cancer. By early 2024, a combined transplant was his only chance for survival.

Physicians in Campania referred him to Città della Salute in Turin, where a multidisciplinary team took on the case. The challenge was immense: donor organs in normal positions had to fit into a mirrored body. On February 14, surgeons performed the transplant after retrieving a heart-liver block from a donor hospital. The operation required dozens of specialists and meticulous coordination.

Since this procedure, no other patient with situs viscerum inversus has received a successful combined heart-liver transplant. It remains the only documented case of its kind worldwide.

The surgery marks a rare medical achievement in transplant history. The patient's mirrored anatomy demanded innovative techniques and precise execution. His recovery will be closely monitored as doctors assess the long-term success of the transplant.