HEART-TRANSPLANTS FOR COMPLEX CONGENITAL HEART-DISEASE IN THE ADOLESCENT AND ADULT

The number of pediatric heart transplants for complex congenital heart disease has increased in recent years, but little experience has been reported in the adolescent and adult population. Between 1987 and 1992, 6 patients (mean age 24 years, range 14 to 42) underwent transplant in our institution because of structural congenital heart disease with or without prior palliative operation or definitive repair. The diagnose covered: congenitally corrected transposition of the great vessels, late systemic ventricular failure after surgically corrected transposition of the great arteries, left superior vena cava, and tricuspid atresia with right ventricular hypoplasia. The palliative repairs included modified Blalock-Taussig shunt, cavo-pulmonary Glenn shunt, two aorto-pulmonary Waterstone shunts, two Blalock-Hanlon atrioseptectomies and one pulmonary valvotomy by the method of Brock. One patient had undergone pulmonary artery banding, in two patients atrial repair by SENNING's technique had been performed for definitive repair of transposition of the great arteries. Donor cardiectomy was modified to remove complete inflow and outflow tissue and transplantation was performed without prosthetic material in all patients; in no case was deep hypothermic arrest necessary. There was no early or late mortality after a mean follow-up of 28 months. Postoperative echocardiography and cardiac catheterism demonstrated perfect anatomical and functional results. There was no early or late mortality after a mean follow-up of 28 months. Postoperative echocardiography and cardiac catheterization demonstrated perfect anatomical and functional results. Adult patients with complex congenital cardiac diseases can be transplanted with a very low perioperative risk, even after several prior operative procedures. Operative technique must be adapted to the malformation; end-to-end bicaval anastomosis is advantageous, and extensive reconstruction of the pulmonary arteries with donor vessels may be necessary. Timing of transplantation is crucial in this subset of patients. Results are better and choice of donor organs easier when growth is almost terminated in the preadolescent age-group.