title: Heart transplantation--the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage ischaemic heart disease.
abstract: Between December, 1967 and August, 1988, 147 heart transplants (64 orthotopic, 68 heterotopic procedures; 15 heart-and-lung replacements) were performed on 128 patients. In the majority of the recipients, dilated cardiomyopathy or end-stage ischaemic heart disease was diagnosed. From 1985 to the present, 70 transplants (45 orthotopic, 11 heterotopic and 14 heart-lung) took place. Seventeen of these patients (mean age 46.6 years) suffered from end-stage disabling (NYHA IV) coronary artery disease; in each case the angiogram verified severe stenosis or occlusion of the three main coronary artery systems. Their histories revealed a total of 22 previous myocardial infarctions; 8 patients needed a total of 9 surgical revascularization procedures. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ranged from 9% to 24% (mean 15.3%). Before transplantation three patients required intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) support. Fourteen of the 17 patients are at present still alive with post operative periods ranging from 8 weeks to 3.5 years (the actuarial 90-days and 1-year-survival rates being respectively 91.7% and 81.5%). Twelve of the patients are in NYHA class I; 2 are in class II. Three late deaths occurred: one from pneumocystic carinii/cytomegalovirus pneumonia, a second from atypical pneumonia and a third from chronic graft rejection. Radionuclide ventricular studies demonstrated postoperative left ventricular ejection fractions ranging from 54%-81% (mean 71%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hildebrandt
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reichenspurner
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Reichart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents