title: Heart transplantation in pediatric and congenital heart disease: a single-center experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the indications and outcomes for pediatric patients and patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) undergoing heart transplantation (HT) in New Zealand.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective audit of 253 patients who underwent HT from 1987 to end 2012 was undertaken. Thirty-seven patients were subdivided into two groups, those aged <18 years--pediatric heart disease (PHD) and those with CHD. Six patients aged <18 years were included in both the analyses. Demographic and clinical information were collected and outcomes established.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall actuarial survival of 37 patients with PHD or CHD was 92% at one year, 85% at five years, and 52% at ten years. The PHD group comprised 22 (8.7%) patients, median age 14 years (range 6-17), 14 (64%) male, with cardiomyopathy in 13, CHD in 6, and rheumatic heart disease in 3. At follow-up, 11 patients had died. Actuarial survival was 91% at one year and 79% at five years. Of the four patients with a mechanical assist device to bridge, three were transplanted and alive at follow-up. The CHD group comprised 21 (8.3%) patients, median age 25 years (range 6-48) and 19 (90%) were male. At follow-up, three patients had died. Actuarial survival was 95% at one year, 94% at five years, and 85% at ten years. All five patients with pre-HT Fontan circulation were alive a median of eight years following HT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Heart transplantation for carefully selected pediatric patients and patients with CHD can be successfully performed with favorable outcomes in a geographically isolated unit.
authors.affiliation: Green Lane Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac Services, Starship Children's Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Santuri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rungan
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Finucane
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gentles
authors.forename: Helen C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Peter N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Ruygrok
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: congenital; heart; outcome; pediatric; transplantation