Safety and Outcomes of Combined Liver Transplantation and Cardiac Surgery in Cirrhosis

Decompensation of liver function after cardiac surgery in patients with cirrhosis has resulted in high morbidity and mortality. A treatment strategy, for which there is a scarcity of data in the literature, encompasses combined liver transplantation and cardiac surgery.

We performed a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on 15 patients who underwent combined liver transplantation and cardiac surgery between 2005 to 2017 at our institution.

Between 2005 and 2017, 15 patients with cirrhosis and coronary artery disease or valve disease were identified who underwent combined liver transplantation and cardiac surgery. The cardiac disease was considered severe enough to preclude liver transplantation alone. Likewise, the advanced cirrhosis precluded cardiac surgery alone. Eighty percent of the patients were male and average age was 60 years. Six patients had coronary artery disease, 2 patients had severe aortic stenosis and coronary artery disease, 1 patient had severe mitral regurgitation and coronary artery disease, 2 patients had severe aortic stenosis, 1 patient had mitral valve prolapse, and 3 patients had severe aortic insufficiency. The mean model for end-stage liver disease score was 24. Four subjects were Child-Pugh class B, and 11 were class C. One-year survival was 73.3%.

Combined liver transplant and cardiac surgery is feasible in this selected, otherwise inoperable, patient population with an acceptable early and midterm survival when performed in high volume centers with a cohesive multidisciplinary team.