World's First Mirror-Anatomy Heart and Liver Transplant Succeeds in Turin

A 32-year-old man from Campania has become the first patient in the world to receive a combined heart and liver transplant despite having an extremely rare condition. His internal organs are a complete mirror image of normal anatomy, a disorder known as situs viscerum inversus. The groundbreaking surgery took place at Città della Salute in Turin after doctors in Campania referred him to the specialised centre.

The patient was born with severe congenital heart disease and underwent three open-heart surgeries during childhood. Over time, his heart condition led to liver cirrhosis, which later developed into liver cancer. A combined heart-liver transplant became his only chance for survival.

The operation required an immense logistical effort, involving dozens of healthcare professionals. A multi-specialty team travelled to the donor's hospital to retrieve the heart-liver block while maintaining constant communication with the transplant team at Molinette. Meanwhile, the patient was prepped in the cardiac surgery operating room as the donor organs were transported to Turin.

Transplanting normally positioned donor organs into a body with mirrored anatomy presented an extraordinary technical challenge. Since the first recorded case in February 2024 at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, no other patient with situs viscerum inversus has undergone a combined heart-liver transplant, making this a unique medical achievement.

The multidisciplinary team at Città della Salute successfully completed the complex procedure. The patient's recovery will now be closely monitored, as the surgery offers a rare lifeline for someone with his condition. This case sets a precedent for future transplants in patients with similarly rare anatomical challenges.