Case report, case study
https://doi.org/10.65241/wh.8.2.10
Successful heart transplantation in a patient with high levels of anti-human leukocyte antigen (hla) antibodies - case report
Korina Goluza
orcid.org/0009-0004-9649-5120
; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
*
Sanja Konosic
; Clinic of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Desensitization plays a key role in improving the outcomes of
heart transplantation in sensitized patients, who otherwise
face prolonged waiting times and an increased risk of rejection
and graft failure. We present the case of a woman who
developed severe cardiomyopathy after treatment for breast
cancer. As transplantation was initially contraindicated due
to recent malignancy, she was maintained on mechanical
circulatory support. Following remission, she became eligible for
transplantation but was identified as highly sensitized. Following
a three-year wait for heart transplantation, the multidisciplinary
team approved the initiation of a desensitization protocol,
which was subsequently followed by heart transplantation
upon allocation of a compatible organ.
The procedure was complicated by early graft dysfunction
and bleeding, requiring temporary extracorporeal support.
The patient underwent a tailored desensitization protocol,
which was applied throughout the perioperative course.
Nevertheless, the patient recovered well, with preserved graft
function, minimal rejection on biopsy, and remained clinically
stable during follow-up. In this case report, we present a
highly sensitized patient who underwent successful heart
transplantation after an extensive desensitization protocol
Keywords
Heart transplantation; anti-HLA antibodies; sensitization; desensitization.
Hrčak ID:
343021
URI
Publication date:
24.12.2025.
Visits: 407 *