Cardiac transplantation in early infancy.
Congenital heart disease (CHD) encompasses a full spectrum of severity, ranging from physiologically insignificant (those lesions ameliorated over time without surgical or medical intervention) to those lesions that result in certain death in early infancy. Recent attempts at heart and heart-lung transplantation and surgical palliation have provided options for families of infants at the deadly end of this spectrum. The purpose of this article is to outline the process of one form of intervention--heart replacement during early infancy. The main concerns following transplantation are rejection and infection, but survival rates after transplantation show a good 5-year prognosis in this young age group.
Johnston
J
J
D003422:Critical Care; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D015996:Survival Rate; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement