The future of heart transplants may be brighter for the many people waiting to obtain one of a limited number of natural hearts. Some researchers are trying to find ways of prolonging life until a "match" organ can be found. For example, a biventricular pacemaker helps the heart pump more effectively, lessening the degree of heart failure. Some types of pacemakers also double as defibrillators, which detect and correct abnormal heart rhythms by sending electrical signals to the heart.

Recent research suggests that the drug daclizumab may prove effective at reducing organ rejection among heart transplant patients. A study showed that among the patients who did reject an organ ,it took much longer for those on daclizumab to reach a clinical end point, which was defined as rejection, heart dysfunction or death. Though the initial results appear promising, daclizumab needs to undergo further study before it is cleared for widespread use in heart transplants.

An experimental surgery called ventricular remodeling is also available for patients with end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy. A number of patients who underwent this surgery improved to the point that they were taken off the transplant waiting list. However, patients need immediate assistance from a ventricular assist device if the procedure fails. Cardiomyopathy patients whose bodies are too large for a standard donor organ may also be eligible for a heterotopic transplant or "piggyback" transplant. This is a procedure in which a donor heart is surgically sewn to the blood vessels near the patient's own heart, allowing the two hearts to pump side by side. However, the survival rate of this procedure tends to be lower than that of traditional transplant surgery.

Another experimental option is the use of a heart jacket, or mesh-like net that is wrapped around the failing heart. Early studies have shown that the jacket helps the heart function and stimulated changes in the shape and size of the heart. Studies have shown that patients with severe heart failure who are fitted with a heart jacket are less likely to need a transplant.

In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first totally implantable artificial heart. The device was approved for patients with advanced heart failure involving both chambers of the heart. It is intended for patients with severe heart failure who are not likely to live longer than one month without intervention. These patients are typically not candidates for heart transplants due to advanced age or medical conditions.

The implantable system is composed of a mechanical heart that is placed in the chest and a controller and battery system that is implanted in the patient's abdomen. The artificial heart can be charged, allowing the patient free movement for up to two hours. Candidates must meet certain criteria to receive the heart and must have adequate room in the chest to accompany the device.

A longer-term goal for some researchers is the genetically engineered heart. The organ is composed of human tissues - perhaps one's own - and is cultured or grown over a period of months to match detailed specifications. Currently, this "heart-in-a-box" project exists only in the halls of a university research facility, but researchers have a goal to have cryogenically stored organs available for transplant in less than a decade.

The outlook for these technologies will depend on many factors, and their success or failure is not guaranteed. However, it does provide those in need of current and future heart transplants with the hope of additional treatment options in the coming years.