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[The emergency heart transplant]
J J Rufilanchas1, E Rodríguez, L Molina
1Servicio de Cirugía Cardíaca, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid.
Insights
Urgent cardiac transplantation does not show higher mortality in the International Registry. However, Spanish data and literature suggest increased risk, raising ethical questions and the potential for circulatory support as a bridge.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Transplantation Medicine
- Medical Ethics
Abstract:
From the International Registry on Cardiac Transplantation we can not infer a higher mortality in urgent or emergent Cardiac Transplantation. The data in the Spanish Registry and in the literature show that the risk is higher in these patients compared to non urgent transplantation, implying ethical considerations which are discussed in the article. A different approach to urgent transplantation could be based on previous circulatory support, or heart assist systems as a bridge to transplantation.