title: Heart transplantation in pediatric age.
abstract: Heart transplantation, formerly the final option for terminally ill children, has now become the treatment of choice for a number of serious acquired or congenital cardiac conditions, which cannot be treated conservatively. Nevertheless, several problems remain unsolved. First of all the shortage of donors, mainly in the first months and years of life, which has become more and more significant with time, regardless of the country, religious belief or culture of the people. Secondly, the long-term impact of immunosuppression in a developing organism, and its possible inter-relation with the primary disorder, which leads to intractable heart failure. Whether a heart transplant is a cure or an ongoing disease for both the child and the family is another matter of concern. These and other topics are covered in this article.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Padova School of Medicine, Padova, Italy. ornella.milanesi@unipd.it
authors.forename: Ornella
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Milanesi
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cerutti
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Biffanti
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salvadori
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gambino
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stellin
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018579:Patient Selection; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011788:Quality of Life; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000600:supply & distribution; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014850:Waiting Lists
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents