Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 3, 2026
Sleeve Gastrectomy in Mice using Surgical Clips
Published on: November 14, 2020
Bariatric surgery: a safe and effective conduit to cardiac transplantation
Krzysztof J Wikiel1, Carol A McCloskey1, Ramesh C Ramanathan1
1University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA.
Insights
Bariatric surgery is a safe and effective weight loss option for patients with severe heart failure, potentially enabling them to qualify for heart transplants. This procedure can serve as a crucial bridge to transplantation for eligible candidates.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Bariatric Surgery
- Transplantation Medicine
Background:
- Obesity and its co-morbidities, like advanced heart failure, are prevalent health issues.
- Patients with severe heart failure may require cardiac allografts but often need significant weight loss to be eligible for transplantation.
- Surgical weight loss is frequently the most effective and sustainable option for these complex individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and safety of bariatric surgery in patients suffering from severe heart failure.
- To determine if bariatric surgery can facilitate adequate weight loss, thereby improving transplant eligibility for heart allografts.
Main Methods:
- A case series involving four patients with severe heart failure who underwent bariatric procedures.
- Procedures included laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG).
- The primary goal was to achieve sufficient weight loss to enhance transplant candidacy.
Main Results:
- All four patients tolerated the bariatric procedures well.
- Three out of the four patients successfully received orthotopic heart transplants post-surgery.
- The remaining patient is awaiting listing for a heart transplant after achieving adequate weight loss.
Conclusions:
- Bariatric surgery can serve as a vital bridge to heart transplantation for morbidly obese patients with severe heart failure.
- When implemented with appropriate infrastructure, bariatric surgery is a feasible and effective method for weight reduction in this patient population.
Background:
Obesity and obesity-related co-morbidities, including advanced heart failure, are epidemic. Some of these patients will progress to require cardiac allografts as the only means of long-term survival. Unfortunately, without adequate weight loss, they may never be deemed acceptable transplant candidates. Often surgical weight loss may be the only effective and durable option for these complex patients. The objective of this study was to assess whether bariatric surgery is feasible and safe in patients with severe heart failure, which in turn, after adequate weight loss, would allow these patients to be listed for a heart transplant.
Methods:
Four patients who underwent bariatric procedures, such as laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG), for the purpose of attaining adequate weight loss with the goal to improve their eligibility for orthotopic heart transplants are presented.
Results:
All patients did well around the time of surgery, and 3 of the 4 progressed to receiving a heart transplant. The fourth patient will be listed pending attaining adequate weight loss.
Conclusion:
Bariatric surgery may be an important bridge to transplantation for morbidly obese patients with severe heart failure. With the appropriate infrastructure, bariatric surgery is a feasible and effective weight loss method in this population.
