10-YEAR HEART TRANSPLANTATION EXPERIENCE IN NOVOSIBIRSK

Abstract

Aim: to show the analysis of 10-year heart transplantation experience, the main complications and problems of the heart transplantation evaluation. Materials and methods. 66 orthotopic heart transplantations were performed in patients with terminal chronic heart failure in our clinic since 2008. The heart failure causes were dilated cardiomyopathy in 46 cases (70%), postinfarction cardiosclerosis in 20 cases (30%). The recipients were 59 men (89%) and 7 women (11%), the average age was 46 ± 10 years. All patients had a severe left heart dilatation and critical left ventricular systolic dysfunction (left ventricular EDV 283 ± 58 ml, left ventricular ejection fraction 17 ± 5%, cardiac index 1.5 ± 0.3 l/min/m2). In some recipients, heart transplantation is performed in the second stage after preliminary implantation of mechanical circulatory support systems (LVAD, BVAD). The fi rst heart transplantations were performed using the biatrial technique (8 cases (12%)), the others were performed using the bicaval technique (58 cases (88%)). After the operation, patients received a three-component immunosuppressive therapy: the inhibitors of calcineurin, mycophenolate and corticosteroids.Results. 54 patients (82%) were discharged from the clinic after heart transplantation. The hospital mortality was 12 recipients (18%). The mortality in the long-term period was 10 recipients (15%). The hospital mortality cases were acute graft dysfunction in 5 cases (42%), infectious-septic complications in 4 cases (33%), massive intraoperative bleeding in 2 cases (17%), and total thrombosis of pulmonary artery in 1 case (8%). The death causes in the long-term period were acute transplant rejection in 4 cases (40%), coronary artery disease of the transplanted heart in 3 cases (30%), Kaposi’s sarcoma in 1 case (10%), lung cancer in 1 case (10%), and viral pneumonia in 1 case (10%).Conclusion. Over a 10-year period, we have gained a lot of experience in heart transplantation; the procedures complications have been studied; the stages of preservation, harvesting and transportation of the donor heart, operative technique and postoperative treatment of patients have been improved to avoid complications in the early and long-term postoperative period.

Keywords

• heart transplantation
• heart failure
• mechanical circulatory support
• immunosuppressive therapy