Related Experiment Videos
Heterotopic cardiac transplantation: current status
B P Griffith1, R L Kormos, R L Hardesty
1Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania.
Journal of Cardiac Surgery
|June 1, 1987
Summary
Heterotopic cardiac transplantation is rarely used but remains valuable for select patients with high pulmonary vascular resistance or poor donor organs. Survival rates are comparable to orthotopic transplantation in these specific cases.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Transplantation Medicine
- Surgical Innovation
Background:
- Heterotopic cardiac transplantation, introduced in 1974, is now infrequently performed.
- Orthotopic cardiac transplantation is generally the preferred procedure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the specific indications and outcomes of heterotopic cardiac transplantation.
- To understand why its routine use has been abandoned by most centers.
Main Methods:
- Review of historical data and clinical experience with heterotopic cardiac transplantation.
- Comparison of heterotopic versus orthotopic cardiac transplantation in specific patient populations.
Main Results:
- Indications include elevated pulmonary vascular resistance and limited donor organ suitability.
- Reasons for abandonment include risks of embolism, infection, angina, surgical complexity, and pulmonary complications.
- Survival rates for carefully selected heterotopic recipients are comparable to orthotopic procedures.
Conclusions:
- Heterotopic cardiac transplantation is a niche procedure for specific, complex cases where orthotopic transplantation is not feasible.
- It remains a viable option for selected individuals, offering comparable survival outcomes.