CARDIAC TRANSPLANTATION - A REVIEW

Cardiac transplantation is no longer an experimental procedure, but ra ther a definitive therapeutic option for patients with end-stage cardi ac failure. The current 5-year and 10-year survival rates following ca rdiac transplantation are 67% and 52%, respectively. Rejection and inf ection still result in significant morbidity and mortality, and the de velopment of graft coronary occlusive disease limits even longer-term survival. This review summarises donor and recipient selection criteri a, the operative procedure, the current immunosuppressive protocols, a s well as newer immunosuppressive agents and the complications of card iac transplantation, namely infection, rejection, nephrotoxicity and g raft coronary occlusive disease.