[Ventricular assist devices as a bridge to transplantation].
We carried out an analysis of the results obtained in patients (n=23) who received a ventricular assist device before heart transplantation between 1988 and 2005. Their mean age was 52.5 (8.4) years. Reasons for inclusion in the transplantation waiting list were postcardiotomy referral (n=10), myocardial infarction (n=5), primary graft dysfunction (n=7), and dilated cardiomyopathy (n=1). Different types of ventricular assist device were used: the Abiomed 5000 (n=13), the Biomed Comunidad de Madrid (n=9), and the BioMedicus (n=1). The mean transplantation waiting time was 3.0 (2.4) days. In-hospital complications were neurological (n=7), infectious (n=12), renal (n=3), hemorrhagic (n=3), and respiratory (n=2). In-hospital mortality was 39.1% (n=9). Kaplan-Meier analysis gave a 1-year survival rate of 55.2% and a 5-year survival rate of 32.2%. In patients who were discharged home, the 1-year survival rate was 92.3%. Careful patient selection is essential for obtaining good results.
Reyes
Guillermo
G
Servicio de Cirugía Cardiovascular, Hospital Universitario La Princesa, Madrid, Spain. guillermo_reyes_copa@yahoo.es
Fernández-Yáñez
Juan
J
Rodríguez-Abella
Hugo
H
Palomo
Jesús
J
Pinto
Angel
A
Duarte
Juan
J
D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012770:Shock, Cardiogenic / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D015996:Survival Rate