title: Double organ transplantation in cardiac amyloidosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiac amyloidosis, particularly primary or AL amyloidosis, is the most common infiltrative cardiomyopathy and is associated with a poor prognosis. The outcome of cardiac transplantation is generally poor, and almost half of patients die while waiting for the procedure to be done.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report here the remarkable case of a 63-year-old man with heart failure caused by AL amyloidosis. After a long course, which included rapid deterioration of preexisting heart failure, cardiac arrest, cardiogenic shock, biventricular assist device support, heart transplantation, renal failure, kidney transplantation and finally a life-threatening H1N1 virus pneumonia, the patient managed not only to survive but also to return fully to his previous demanding duties and lifestyle.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early use of left ventricular or biventricular mechanical circulatory support may be beneficial as a bridge to transplantation in patients with cardiac AL amyloidosis.
authors.affiliation: aOnassis Cardiac Surgery Center bSecond Department of Cardiology, Attikon University Hospital cFirst Department of Internal Medicine, Laiko Hospital dDepartment of Cardiology, Mediterraneo Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Aggeliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gkouziouta
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Farmakis
authors.forename: Athanassios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manginas
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sfyrakis
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saroglou
authors.forename: Stamatis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adamopoulos
authors.forename: Efstathios K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Iliodromitis
mesh_terms: D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged