A "Trapped Heart" in an Octopus Pot: Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy; Review of a Rare Clinical Syndrome Following Solid-Organ Transplant

Abstract

Objectives: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as "broken heart syndrome," "apical ballooning syndrome," and "stress-induced cardiomyopathy," was first des cribed in Japanese patients in 1990 by Sato and colleagues. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is an increasingly recognized syndrome characterized by transient and reversible systolic dysfunction of the apical and middle segments of the left ventricle. This syndrome resembles acute myocardial infarction in the absence of evident coronary artery occlusion. Although the precise pathophysiology of takotsubo cardiomyopathy is still unknown, it seems that it is associated with excessive sympathetic stimulation, microvascular dysfunction, coronary artery vasospasm, and abnormal myocardial tissue metabolism.

Materials and methods: Herein, we sought to recognize and summarize the available literature data on Takotsubo cardiomyopathy regarding solid-organ transplant, in an attempt to provide the demographic and morphologic functional characteristics of patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and related clinical implications.

Results and conclusions: Transplant surgeons should maintain a high index of clinical suspicion and never underestimate takotsubo cardiomyopathy as a potential cause of heart failure following solid-organ transplant.