San Diego Man, 41, Given Heart Transplant

A 41-year-old San Diego man received a new heart early Sunday as surgeons at Sharp Memorial Hospital performed their sixth heart transplant in eight months.

According to hospital spokesman Ed Crawford, a heart became available about midnight Saturday and the four-hour surgery to transplant the heart into Joseph Noon began about 2 a.m. Noon was in critical condition Sunday, which was to be expected right after surgery, Crawford said, adding that there were no complications.

Noon suffered from the same heart disease as the other five heart transplant recipients at the hospital, aschemic cardiomyopathy.

A husband and father of two who had previously worked with a limousine service, Noon had not worked in a year because of his heart condition, Crawford said.

Sharp Memorial Hospital began heart transplants in October. All have been successful.