A 16-year-old girl from Wales has made a full recovery following the removal of a donor heart transplanted alongside her own.

Hannah Clarke's own heart has been declared fully functional, 3 years after the removal of a 'piggy-back' heart kept for over 10 years while her own heart recovered from advanced cardiomyopathy.

The procedure, known as heterotopic cardiac transplantation, was carried out by surgeon Magdi Yacoub, Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Imperial College London.

Hannah Clark suffered a severe heart failure through cardiomyopathy as a baby. At age 2 she underwent an operation in which a donor heart was placed in the right pleural cavity and attached to her own heart. This allowed a long-term reduction in left ventricular pressure and the recovery of her heart.

Later complications arising from immunosuppression led to the failure of the donor heart, which was removed. Now 16, Hannah has completed her GCSEs and is able to run and swim. Her cardiac function is normal.

Professor Yacoub commented that the "case has provided many lessons relevant to biology, transplantation, heart recovery and malignant disease". He also emphasised the need for greater public awareness of the shortage of organ donors in the UK.

Professor Peter Weissberg of the British Heart Foundation noted that this case underlines the need for a ventricular assist device that can be used in children as a temporary support for a weak heart. A similar device exists for adults with heart failure awaiting a donor transplant.