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Updated: May 14, 2026

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Rat Heterotopic Abdominal Heart/Single-lung Transplantation in a Volume-loaded Configuration
Published on: May 29, 2015
Heart transplantation: 25 years' single-centre experience.
Giuseppe Bruschi1, Tiziano Colombo, Fabrizio Oliva
1Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery Department bCardiothoracic Anesthesia and Intensive-care, Niguarda Ca' Granda Hospital, Milan, Italy. giuseppe.bruschi@fastwebnet.it
Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine (Hagerstown, Md.)
|January 24, 2013
Summary
Heart transplantation (HTx) offers effective treatment for end-stage heart disease. This 25-year single-centre experience shows that careful patient selection, advanced care, and teamwork yield excellent long-term survival rates.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Transplantation Medicine
- Surgical Outcomes
Background:
- Heart transplantation (HTx) is a critical therapy for end-stage heart disease.
- Significant advancements in surgical techniques and postoperative care have occurred over decades.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the 25-year single-centre experience with orthotopic heart transplantation (HTx).
- To analyze outcomes, survival rates, and causes of mortality in adult HTx recipients.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 878 primary adult orthotopic heart transplants performed between November 1985 and the study period.
- Exclusion of re-transplantation cases and pediatric patients (<15 years).
Main Results:
- Hospital mortality was 11.6%, with early graft failure as the leading cause.
- Actuarial survival reached 78.1% at 5 years, 63.8% at 10 years, and 47.5% at 15 years.
- Long-term survival is challenged by coronary allograft vasculopathy and malignancies; 66.9% freedom from CAV at 10 years.
Conclusions:
- Improvements in HTx are attributed to enhanced surgical methods and patient care.
- Careful patient selection, precise follow-up, and multidisciplinary collaboration are key to achieving excellent long-term results.
- The study highlights the importance of managing complications like coronary artery vasculopathy and neoplasms post-transplant.

