Xenotransplantation: an update

Over the past 20 years, the mortality and morbidity associated with cardiac allotransplantation has fallen significantly, providing a viable treatment for patients with terminal cardiac failure. Unfortunately, the increase in the number of patients who could benefit from cardiac transplantation has not been matched with an increase in the number of organs available for transplantation. Thus, many patients with cardiac failure die waiting for a suitable organ, unlike patients with renal failure, who can be maintained on dialysis while waiting for a kidney. Although the development of artificial hearts may provide a life-sustaining bridging therapy until a donor organ becomes available, the quality of life associated with cardiac prostheses is currently less than that following successful cardiac allotransplantation.