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Updated: Jul 19, 2026
Implantation of Total Artificial Heart in Congenital Heart Disease
Published on: July 18, 2014
[Heart transplant]
M Ubilla1, S Mastrobuoni, A Martín Arnau
1Servicios de Cirugía Cardiovascular y Cardiología, Clínica Universitaria de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain.
Insights
Heart transplantation is a vital treatment for end-stage heart failure. Optimizing patient selection, donor management, and post-operative care is crucial for improving outcomes and addressing the growing need for this life-saving procedure.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Transplantation Medicine
Background:
- Heart failure prevalence is increasing due to longer life expectancy and better acute coronary syndrome management.
- Approximately 1% of the population in developed countries has heart failure, with 10% of these being advanced cases eligible for heart transplantation.
- Despite advances, not all patients requiring a heart transplant can receive one.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the key aspects of heart transplantation.
- To discuss current challenges in heart transplantation.
- To highlight the importance of optimizing transplant outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Review of historical and recent advancements in heart transplantation.
- Analysis of factors influencing transplant success.
- Discussion of patient and donor selection criteria.
- Examination of perioperative management and graft rejection control.
Main Results:
- Heart transplantation has evolved significantly since 1967.
- Improvements in various aspects have led to increased survival and quality of life for recipients.
- Ongoing challenges remain in meeting the demand and optimizing results.
Conclusions:
- Heart transplantation is the treatment of choice for refractory end-stage cardiac insufficiency.
- Continuous optimization of patient selection, donor management, perioperative care, and rejection control is essential.
- Further advancements are needed to address the gap between the need for and availability of heart transplants.
Abstract:
A heart transplant is at present considered the treatment of choice in cases of terminal cardiac insufficiency refractory to medical or surgical treatment. Due to factors such as the greater life expectancy of the population and the more efficient management of acute coronary syndromes, there is an increasing number of people who suffer from heart failure. It is estimated that the prevalence of the disease in developed countries is around 1%; of this figure, some 10% are in an advanced stage and are thus potential receptors of a heart transplant. The problem is that it is still not possible to offer this therapeutic form to all of the patients that require it. Consequently, it is necessary to optimise the results of the heart transplant through the selection of patients, selection and management of donors, perioperative management and control of the disease due to graft rejection. Since the first transplant carried out in 1967, numerous advances and changes have taken place, which has made it possible to increase survival and quality of life of those who have received a new heart. In this article we review the most relevant aspects of the heart transplant and the challenges that are currently faced.
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