[Surgical problems in heart transplantation]

Today, heart transplantation is a generally recognized method for managing an otherwise uncontrollable heart failure. The surgical technique of transplantation has become standardized in recent years. There are no substantial differences in postoperative care and the rate of surgical complications between a heart transplant recipient and a patient undergoing routine cardiac surgery. The only problem to be handled is the recipient's elevated pulmonary resistance. Late complications are caused by infection related to immunosuppression and/or antirejection therapy.