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Updated: Jul 30, 2026
A Porcine Heterotopic Heart Transplantation Protocol for Delivery of Therapeutics to a Cardiac Allograft
Published on: February 14, 2022
Does cardiac transplantation prolong life and improve its quality? An updated report
Insights
Cardiac transplantation can prolong survival for end-stage heart disease patients. Most survivors regain functional Class I status, returning to pre-illness activities, demonstrating the procedure
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Transplantation Medicine
- Immunosuppression
Background:
- Stanford University Medical Center's cardiac transplant program data from 1968-1976 is analyzed.
- The study reassesses the role of cardiac transplantation in treating end-stage cardiac disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the long-term survival and functional outcomes of cardiac transplant recipients.
- To identify barriers to post-transplantation survival and rehabilitation.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 109 cardiac transplant patients between January 1968 and August 1976.
- Survival rates (1- and 2-year) were calculated for the entire cohort and for 3-month survivors.
- Functional status was assessed using the New York Heart Association (NYHA) cardiac status classification.
Main Results:
- Overall 1- and 2-year survival rates were 52% and 43%, respectively.
- For 69 patients surviving over 3 months, 1- and 2-year survival rates improved to 80% and 66%.
- 90% of 3-month survivors achieved NYHA Class I status and returned to pre-illness activities. Patients awaiting transplants without donors had poor outcomes (38/40 died within 6 months).
Conclusions:
- Cardiac transplantation significantly prolongs survival in carefully selected patients with end-stage cardiac disease.
- Successful transplantation can restore recipients to an active, functional life.
- Steroid-related immunosuppression complications remain a primary challenge for long-term survival and rehabilitation.
Abstract:
The current status of the human cardiac transplant experience at Stanford University Medical Center is presented in order to reassess its role in the treatment of end-stage cardiac disease. Of 109 patients undergoing transplantation at Stanford between January 1968 and August 1976, 44 were still alive as of August 1, 1976. The overall 1- and 2-year survival rates for the series are 52% and 43%, respectively. Sixty-nine patients have survived more than 3 months, and their overall 1- and 2-year survival rates are 80% and 66%, respectively. Of the 3-month survivors, 62 (90%) returned to functional Class I New York Heart Association cardiac status and most of these returned to their pre-illness activities. Of 40 patients selected for transplantation for whom a donor did not become available, 38 were dead in less than 6 months. Complications related to immunosuppression with steroids are currently the major barrier to longer survival and improved rehabilitation postransplantation. On the basis of these data we conclude that cardiac transplantation not only prolongs survival, but can return carefully selected recipients to an active life.
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