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The Registry of the International Society for Heart Transplantation
J M Kriett1, R Y Tarazi, M P Kaye
1University of California, San Diego.
Insights
Heart and lung transplantation numbers are limited by donor supply, though survival has improved. Infection, rejection, and chronic rejection remain significant challenges for transplant recipients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Thoracic Surgery
- Transplantation Medicine
Background:
- The International Society for Heart Transplantation Registry has collected data on over 14,000 heart and 1,100 heart-lung/lung transplants.
- Transplant procedures have expanded, particularly in single-lung and pediatric heart transplantation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the status and trends in heart and lung transplantation based on registry data.
- To identify key challenges and outcomes in cardiac and pulmonary transplant procedures.
Main Methods:
- Data compilation from over 200 international transplant centers.
- Analysis of transplant recipient data up to October 1990.
Main Results:
- Annual transplant procedure growth is constrained by donor availability.
- Improvements in operative mortality and late survival have been observed.
- Infection and rejection are primary causes of mortality, with chronic rejection a major long-term issue.
Conclusions:
- Despite advances, donor supply remains a limiting factor in heart and lung transplantation.
- Infection and rejection continue to be critical challenges impacting patient survival.
- Chronic rejection poses a significant obstacle for long-term survivors, and retransplantation outcomes are limited.
Abstract:
As of October 1990, the Registry of the International Society for Heart Transplantation has received data on over 14,000 heart and over 1,100 combined heart-lung or lung transplant recipients from over 200 centers worldwide. While the areas of single-lung transplantation and pediatric heart transplantation continue to expand rapidly, further growth in annual numbers of cardiac and pulmonary transplant procedures is now limited by donor supply. Operative mortality and late survival have improved during the past decade, however, infection and rejection continue to be the main causes of death. As the number of long-term survivors continues to increase, chronic rejection remains the major obstacle and results with retransplantation have not been very encouraging.