Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 20, 2025
Mouse Heterotopic Cervical Cardiac Transplantation Utilizing Vascular Cuffs
Published on: June 23, 2022
Utilization of cardiac graft with single coronary artery for orthotopic heart transplantation
Nicholas R Hess1, Mary E Keebler2, Carly A Fabrizio3
1Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 200 Lothrop Street, Suite C-700, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
Insights
This study shows that hearts with a single coronary artery anomaly can be successfully transplanted. This finding expands options for heart transplantation in select cases.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Transplantation Medicine
- Anatomical Variations
Background:
- Anomalous coronary arteries occur in a small population subset.
- Each anomaly presents unique long-term risks.
- Graft utilization in anomalous coronary arteries is not well-documented.
Observation:
- A 40-year-old male donor had a single coronary artery anomaly.
- The left main coronary artery originated from the right coronary ostium.
- This anomalous heart was deemed suitable for donation.
Findings:
- The anomalous heart was successfully procured.
- Orthotopic heart transplantation was performed using the anomalous graft.
- The transplantation resulted in excellent patient outcomes.
Implications:
- Single coronary artery anomalies do not necessarily preclude cardiac donation.
- Successful transplantation of anomalous grafts expands donor pool possibilities.
- Careful pre-transplant evaluation is crucial for anomalous coronary artery anatomy.
Background:
Anomalous coronary arteries arise in a small subset of the population, with each configuration conveying a varying degree of long-term risk. The utilization of cardiac grafts with these anomalies have not been well described.
Case Presentation:
An anomalous single coronary artery with the left main coronary artery arising from the right coronary ostium was discovered in a 40-year old male evaluated for cardiac donation. After evaluation, this heart was successfully procured and utilized for orthotopic heart transplantation.
Conclusion:
In this report, we demonstrate that in select cases, a cardiac graft with single coronary artery anatomy can be successfully procured and transplanted with excellent outcomes.
