Original scientific paper
Eighteen Years Of Heart Transplantation – A Single Center Experience
Vedran Ćorić
Davor Miličić
Hrvoje Gašparović
Gordana Rajsman
Franjo Širić
Ivan Jelić
Abstract
The best option for the treatment of a failing heart is heart transplantation. The transplantation program at the University
Hospital Center Rebro Zagreb started in 1988. To the best of our knowledge this is the first retrospective study on
cardiac transplantation in Croatia looking into survival following heart transplantation. Between 1988 and 2006, we
performed 81 heart transplantations at the University Hospital Center Rebro Zagreb. Our study focused on the last ten
years after establishment of the Department of cardiac surgery as a separate institution. There were thirteen different
hospitals throughout Croatia, which contributed to the donor network. Average age of the heart recipient was 48±11.8
years (range 14–72), and average age of the heart donor was 34±10.7 years (range 14–56). There were more women
among the heart donors (34%) then among the heart recipients (18%). During the first ten years, from 1988–1998, the average
number of cardiac transplantations was 3 per year. In the period from 1998–2006, average number of cardiac
transplantations increased to 6 per year. The average thirty-day mortality for the last nine years was 27%. It declined
from 30% and 40% in 1998 and 1999, respectively down to 0% in the last two years. Average age of the patients who died
was 50±6.5 years (range 44–62) and did not significantly differ from those who survived. The donor network has grown
up to fourteen different hospitals throughout Croatia. The limiting factor in cardiac transplant surgery is the number of
available donors. Therefore in attempt to form a good transplant program it is crucial to form an efficient donor network.
The number of performed cardiac transplantations is expected to rise until it reaches the number of available donors.
With advances in operative technique and postoperative management – immunosuppressive therapy we have observed a
remarkable drop in the early operative mortality in the studied period.
Keywords
heart transplantation; living donor; immunosuppression; mortality
Hrčak ID:
27643
URI
Publication date:
13.12.2006.
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