Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026
Murine Heterotopic Heart Transplant Technique
Published on: July 8, 2014
Combined heart-liver-kidney transplant: The university of Chicago medicine experience
Angelica Perez-Gutierrez1, Umar Siddiqi2, Gene Kim3
1Transplantation Institute, Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Insights
Combined heart-liver-kidney transplantation is now feasible for patients with end-stage heart, liver, and kidney failure. Successful outcomes depend on careful patient selection, meticulous planning, and seamless coordination among transplant teams.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Transplantation Medicine
- Nephrology
Background:
- Combined heart-liver-kidney transplantation was historically deemed too complex and high-risk.
- Patients with end-stage heart failure and advanced liver/kidney failure faced limited treatment options.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline institutional best practices for performing complex combined heart-liver-kidney transplantation.
- To share strategies for successful execution of this challenging procedure.
Main Methods:
- Multidisciplinary patient selection.
- Detailed perioperative planning.
- Coordinated care transition among all transplant teams.
Main Results:
- The surgical procedure involves three distinct phases with dedicated teams.
- Seamless handoffs and planned transitions are crucial.
- Successful outcomes are achieved through collaborative selection and perioperative care.
Conclusions:
- Combined heart-liver-kidney transplantation is achievable with meticulous planning and execution.
- Careful selection, coordination, and collaboration are key determinants of success.
Background:
Until recently, combined heart-liver-kidney transplantation was considered too complex or too high-risk an option for patients with end-stage heart failure who present with advanced liver and kidney failure as well.
Aims:
The objective of this paper is to present our institution's best practices for successfully executing this highly challenging operation. At our institution, referral patterns are most often initiated through the cardiac team.
Results:
Determinants of successful outcomes include diligent multidisciplinary patient selection, detailed perioperative planning, and choreographed care transition and coordination among all transplant teams. The surgery proceeds in three distinct phases with three different teams, linked seamlessly in planned handoffs. The selection and perioperative care are executed with determined collaboration of all of the invested care teams.
Conclusions:
Combined heart-liver-kidney transplantation can be successfully done by careful selection, coordination, and execution.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Kidney Transplant I: Introduction
01:26Kidney Transplant II: Surgical Procedure