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Updated: Feb 17, 2026
Implantation of the Syncardia Total Artificial Heart
Published on: July 18, 2014
[Heart transplantation in an HIV-infected patient]
Pablo Mouras1, Laura Barcán2, César Belziti3
1Servicio de Cirugía Cardiovascular, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Insights
Heart transplantation is now a viable option for select patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. A recent case demonstrates successful cardiac transplant outcomes in an HIV-positive individual, with excellent recovery and no complications.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Transplantation Immunology
Background:
- Historically, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection was a contraindication for organ transplantation due to disease progression.
- Advancements in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) have improved life expectancy for HIV patients, revealing associated comorbidities like cardiovascular disease.
Observation:
- A case study involving a patient with recently diagnosed HIV infection who underwent cardiac transplantation for dilated cardiomyopathy.
- The patient presented with a history of cardiovascular complications indirectly related to HIV infection.
Findings:
- At 24 months post-transplant, the patient exhibited excellent health, increasing CD4 counts, and undetectable viral load.
- No instances of transplant rejection or other complications were observed during the follow-up period.
Implications:
- This case, along with limited international data, suggests that heart transplantation is a feasible therapeutic option for carefully selected HIV-positive patients.
- Highlights the potential for expanding transplantation eligibility criteria in the context of effective HIV management.
- Represents the first reported case of heart transplantation in an HIV-positive patient in South America, addressing a gap in regional literature.
Abstract:
Because of its own unfavourable evolution, HIV infection was until recently considered a contraindication for organ transplantation. The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy prolonged the life expectancy of these patients and allowed the manifestation of disorders directly or indirectly related to HIV infection, mainly liver, kidney and cardiovascular diseases. We present a case of cardiac transplantation due to dilated cardiomyopathy that was performed in a patient with a recently detected HIV infection. At 24 month follow-up, the patient is in very good health status, his CD4 are increasing and the viral load is undetectable. He did not present transplant rejection or any other complication. To our knowledge, there is no previous publication on heart transplantation in patients with HIV in South America. In view of the successful outcome of our case and of the few cases reported in the international literature, we consider that heart transplantation is a therapeutic option in correctly selected HIV patients.
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