Return to work after heart transplantation: 12-year follow-up

Background: Current statistics show that 50% of heart transplantation recip ients survive 10 years or more. Emphasis on cost containment has renewed in terest in the employment status of these long-term survivors. Methods: We have identified 62 patients operated on at one United Kingdom c enter and evaluated their employment and clinical status by interview at 1, 5, and 12 years from surgery. Results: Employment pattern was good, with 69%, 69% (of 55 survivors),and 5 7% (of 35 survivors) of the group working at 1, 5, and 12 years, respective ly. Blue-collar work status per se was not a deterrent to employment, but o lder patients with a poor presurgical work history were less successful in finding work, and trade and legislative restrictions forced some, who were willing and capable of returning to their previous employment, into lower p aid, less satisfactory jobs. Conclusions: Subgroups of patients who are likely to be unemployed can be i dentified prior to surgery. Steps can be taken prior to surgery to anticipa te future problems, and establish realistic employment goals.