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Updated: Jul 17, 2026
Implantation of Total Artificial Heart in Congenital Heart Disease
Published on: July 18, 2014
Heart transplantation in adults with congenital heart disease: experience with 15 patients
Oguz Coskun1, Tolga Coskun, Mahmud El-Arousy
1Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Heart and Diabetes Center North Rhine-Westphalia, Ruhr University of Bochum, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany.
Insights
Heart transplantation (HTx) for adults with end-stage congenital heart disease (CHD) shows promising long-term survival rates comparable to other indications. Prior palliative surgeries do not negatively impact outcomes after HTx.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Transplantation Medicine
- Pediatric Cardiology
Background:
- End-stage congenital heart disease (CHD) is a significant reason for heart transplantation (HTx) in both pediatric and adult populations.
- Assessing the viability of HTx for adults with pre-existing CHD is crucial for treatment planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the survival rates of adult patients undergoing HTx for end-stage CHD versus other causes.
- To evaluate the long-term prognosis of HTx in adult patients with a history of corrective or palliative procedures for CHD.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of data from 15 adult patients (>15 years old) with end-stage CHD who underwent HTx between 1989 and 2005.
- Comparison of survival data with 1400 adult patients (>15 years old) who received HTx for non-CHD indications.
Main Results:
- The study included 15 adult patients with end-stage CHD (mean age 34.06 years); 11 are alive.
- Cumulative survival at 1 year was 80% for both the CHD group and the non-CHD group.
- Acute renal failure occurred in 5 patients; mortality causes included cerebral infarction, resistant rejection, and multiple organ failure.
Conclusions:
- Heart transplantation is a viable therapeutic option for adult patients with end-stage CHD, offering a good long-term prognosis.
- Previous palliative or corrective surgeries for CHD do not adversely affect the outcome of heart transplantation.
Abstract:
End-stage congenital heart disease (CHD) is an important indication for pediatric heart transplantation (HTx) as well as transplantation in adult populations. The purpose of this retrospective analysis was to compare the survival rate of adults who underwent HTx for end-stage CHD with those who underwent HTx for other causes. To find out whether HTx is a viable therapeutic option for adult patients with preoperated CHD, data from 15 adult patients with different forms of CHD, who had previously undergone different corrective and palliative procedures, were retrospectively analyzed and compared with the HTx data of 1400 adult patients (>15 years old) whose indications for HTx were other than end-stage CHD. From 1989 to 2005, 15 adult patients (eight men/seven women) were given transplantation for end-stage CHD. Ten patients had been preoperated once, five patients twice. Their mean age was 34.06 +/- 3.9 years. In five cases, patients had development of acute renal failure. One female patient died 40 days after surgery, after having a cerebral infarction; one male patient died 4 years after HTx for OKT 3 monoclonal antibody-resistant rejection; and two patients died as the result of multiple organ failure at 4 days and 30 days after HTx, respectively; 11 patients are still alive. The cumulative survival rate at 1 year is 80% versus 80% in patients given transplantation for noncongenital indications. Heart transplantation in adults with end-stage CHD can be performed with a good long-term prognosis. Previous palliative operations do not affect outcome after HTx.
