Results of acute heart retransplantation in Eurotransplant.
In 1988 a special programme for acute retransplantation was introduced in Eurotransplant, giving patients awaiting acute retransplantation priority in the selection procedure. Due to scarcity of donor hearts the question arose whether graft survival after acute retransplantation justified the use of these hearts for this category of patient. A retrospective analysis on the results of transplantations performed in patients who were awaiting acute retransplantation within Eurotransplant was done. In 18 out of 46 cases the patient was treated prior to retransplantation with some kind of mechanical support device. Of the 46 grafts, 28 failed. The actuarial 1-year graft survival in this study group was 36%. In comparison, graft survival for primary cardiac transplantation is approximately 81%. Graft survival after acute heart retransplantation is very poor, especially when the patient has been pretreated with a severe mechanical support system.
de Boer
J
J
Eurotransplant Foundation, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Cohen
B
B
Thorogood
J
J
D'Amaro
J
J
Persijn
G G
GG
D005060:Europe; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D012086:Reoperation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016896:Treatment Outcome