[Late neurological complications of heart transplantation]

To assess anomalies in these subjects, an ambulatory neurological examination was performed in 12 heart transplant patients and in 1 heart-lung transplant patient. The patients were examined between the 3rd and 51st month following the transplantation. Two had symptoms due to a previous neurological disease. Early postoperative complications were found in 6 patients (seizures in 3 cases, cerebral infarcts in 1 case, anoxia in 1 case and right ulnar nerve damage at the elbow in 1 case). Late postoperative complications included postural tremor (9 cases) or mild polyneuropathy (2 cases). Neurological examination was completely normal in 2 patients. The findings show that the most common late neurological abnormality found in heart transplant patients is postural tremor.