Influence of different assist devices on survival after orthotopic heart transplantation.
BACKGROUND
In 1995, a risk factor of 1.88 was indicated for one-year mortality in connection with bridging to heart transplantation. Both one-year and three-year survival rates in patients bridged to transplantation were less than 80%.


METHODS
From 3/89 to 12/98, 903 orthotopic heart transplantations were performed at our center in 888 recipients. Bridging was necessary in 142 patients.


RESULTS
The one-year survival rate was 76% in pts without VAD, 86% in pts bridged with VAD and 66% in pts with VAD due to postcardiotomy syndrome. The three-year survival rates were 73%, 80% and 55% respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Early and late results in patients bridged to transplantation remarkably improved over 1995. One-year and long-term survival rates are significantly lower when assist devices are used in patients with postcardiotomy syndrome. Despite a high incidence of assist-related complications, electively bridged patients showed significantly better early and long-term results than the control group.
Tenderich
G
G
Heart Center North Rhine-Westphalia, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany.
Arusoglu
L
L
El-Banayosy
A
A
Morshuis
M
M
Mirow
N
N
Hornik
L
L
Wlost
S
S
Koerfer
R
R
Koerner
M M
MM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000401:mortality*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome