Circulatory assistance while waiting for heart transplantation - Outcome of heart transplantation after mechanical circulatory assistance

Survival: In most of the published (uncontrolled) studies, survival after t ransplantation is similar for patients who required mechanical circulatory assistance and those who did not Two controlled studies have reported a bet ter survival rate in patients who had preoperative circulatory assistance. Complications: infections are more frequent in transplanted patients who ha d a period of circulatory assistance preoperatively than in those who were transplanted after medical treatment The effect of circulatory assistance o n heart graft rejection is debated. The same is true for coronary grafts. ( C) 2000, Masson, Paris.