Heart transplantation

Abstract

A total of 59 heart transplantations (HTx) have been performed in Japan as of September, 2008, since the Organ Transplantation Law was settled in October 1997. The majority of recipients were suffered from dilated cardiomyopathy and waiting condition of all recipients were status 1. The mean waiting time was 777 day; 50 patients (85%) were supported by several types of left ventricular assist systems (LVAS) and the mean duration of support was 780 days. The majority of patients underwent operation by modified bicaval method with Celsior solution for cardiac preservation, and 64% of recipients were administered triple therapy with cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroid as the initial immunosuppressive regimen. The 9-year survival rate was 94%, which was superior to that of the international registry. HTx in Japan has been very limited by a severe shortage of donors, but the results have been excellent even though the majority of recipients were waiting for long-term with a LVAS as a bridge to HTx.