Ferndale man receives first beating-heart transplant in Michigan [Video]

DETROIT (FOX 2) – Michigan’s first two beating-heart transplants took place at Henry Ford Health in Detroit recently.

On his 58th birthday, Ken Miller of Ferndale was given the news that he would be undergoing the first-ever beating-heart transplant in the state.

Now, he is in the process of recovering.

“I didn’t expect to be feeling this well,” Miller said. “I’m feeling great and blessed.”

Miller had been in heart failure for more than a decade. He spent 25 days in a hospital bed, on a machine, prior to receiving his new heart –and a kidney– on May 31.

“I’m really excited about this outcome and excited about how well this heart worked,” said cardiac transplant surgeon at Henry Ford Health, Dr. Kyle Miletic.

Heart transplantation has come a long way.

Generally, a donor heart is good for about four hours, which limits how far away a donor heart can come from. However, the “heart in a box” technology has been a …