Combined transplantation of the heart, lung, and liver

Combined transplantation of the heart, lung, and liver may be Indicated In patients with either end-stage respiratory failure complicated by advanced liver disease or end-stage liver failure complicated by advanced lung disea se. A retrospective review of nine patients who underwent combined heart-lu ng-liver transplantation in Cambridge (1986-99) was carried out. The 1-year and 5-year actuarial survival was 56% and 42%, respectively. Combined hear t-lung-liver transplantation Is a feasible option for a few patients and ha s a 5-year survival similar to heart-lung transplantation but with a lower Incidence of acute and chronic rejection.