The changing face of cardiac transplantation: the Washington University Program, 1985-1987.
Since January, 1985, 59 patients have undergone 62 heart transplantations at Washington University School of Medicine. The experience in this program serves as a useful microcosm of the field of cardiac transplantation as a whole to demonstrate certain trends that are becoming evident. Of the patients, 47% had coronary artery disease compared with 40% with cardiomyopathy. Fourteen patients (24%) were 55 years old or older at the time of transplantation. Sixteen patients (27%) required mechanical support of respiration or circulation or both prior to transplantation. Six patients were maintained with a left ventricular or biventricular assist device, and all survived; 1 patient received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and lived; 7 patients were maintained with an intraaortic balloon pump, 6 of whom survived; and 2 were maintained with a mechanical ventilator and survived. The preoperative waiting period averaged 51 days for the group as a whole. Status-3 patients experienced an average 81-day waiting period, and those in blood group O waited 155 days. In contrast, critically ill patients (status 0) underwent transplantation within an average of 9 days. Actuarial survival at 12 months for all patients, operative survivors, patients age 55 years old or more, and patients bridged to transplantation was 87%, 92%, 84%, and 87%, respectively. Utilizing the combination therapy of cyclosporine, azathioprine, and prednisone introduced by one of us in 1983 and administered to all patients in this series, 50% of patients were rejection free and 56% were infection free at 12 months.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Bolman
R M
RM
Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.
Cance
C
C
Spray
T
T
Genton
R
R
Weiss
C
C
Saffitz
J
J
Eisen
H
H
D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000628:therapy; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement; D014850:Waiting Lists; D014861:Washington