CARDIAC RETRANSPLANTATION (42 PROCEDURES IN 38 PATIENTS) - INDICATIONS AND OUTCOME

In order to determine the results of cardiac retransplantation 38 case s were reviewed (42 transplantations; 4 patients underwent 3 transplan tations). Clinical indications included acute rejection and infection before and after retransplantation : the explanted heart was sent for anatomopathological study. The indications were dominated by coronary artery disease of the graft (26 cases) with an average of 45.3 months between the two transplantations and a long-term survival comparable t o that of primotransplantation. Conversely, in the other indications o f retransplantation,the delay was much shorter (less than 12 days in h alf the cases) and the results were poor (9 deaths out of 12 cases). T herefore, coronary disease of the graft would seem to be the only just ified indication for retransplantation at it associates stable haemody namic conditions and therapeutic impregnation comparable to the primot ransplantation.