Combined heart and liver transplantation can be safely performed with excellent short- and long-term results.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Heart transplant has become the gold standard therapy for end-stage heart failure. Short- and long-term outcomes after orthotopic heart transplant have been excellent. Many patients with heart failure manifest hepatic failure as a result of a chronically elevated central venous pressure. Concomitant hepatic failure has been a contraindication to heart transplant in most centers. A few select institutions are currently performing combined heart-liver transplantation to treat dual organ failure. The outcomes after dual organ transplant are largely unknown, with limited data from a few select centers. We undertook this study to analyze our large experience with combined heart-liver transplant and determine the short-term and long-term outcomes associated with this procedure.

METHODS:

We have performed 1,050 heart transplants at our center to date. Of these patients, 26 underwent combined heart and liver transplant (largest single-center experience). We reviewed demographic, perioperative, and short- and long-term outcomes after this combined procedure.

RESULTS:

All 26 patients underwent successful dual organ transplant, without any episodes of primary graft dysfunction. Average length of intensive care unit stay was 10 ± 5 days, and average hospital stay was 25 ± 11 days. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated excellent short-term survival (1 year, 87% ± 7%) and long-term survival (5 years, 83% ± 8%). Interestingly, only 3 patients (11%) demonstrated any evidence of rejection long-term by myocardial biopsy, suggesting that concomitant hepatic transplantation may provide immunologic protection for the cardiac allograft.

CONCLUSIONS:

We present the largest single-center series of combined heart and liver transplant. This dual organ strategy is highly feasible, with excellent long-term survival. Concomitant liver transplant may confer immunologic protection for the cardiac allograft.

• Authors: Pavan Atluri, Ann Gaffey, Jessica Howard, Emily Phillips, Andrew B Goldstone, Nicole Hornsby, John W MacArthur, Jeffrey E Cohen, Jacob Gutsche, Y Joseph Woo
• Journal: The Annals of thoracic surgery (Ann Thorac Surg) Vol. 98 Issue 3 Pg. 858-62 (Sep 2014) ISSN: 1552-6259 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 25069688 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Female
• Heart Failure (complications, surgery)
• Heart Transplantation (methods)
• Humans
• Liver Failure (complications, surgery)
• Liver Transplantation (methods)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Retrospective Studies
• Time Factors
• Treatment Outcome