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Case Reports
. 2023 Aug;10(4):2698-2701.
doi: 10.1002/ehf2.14389. Epub 2023 Apr 23.

Transplantation of hearts from SARS-CoV-2 positive donors

Payam Akhyari  1 , Moritz Benjamin Immohr  1 , Florian Bönner  2 , Petra Reinecke  3 , Artur Lichtenberg  1 , Udo Boeken  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Transplantation of hearts from SARS-CoV-2 positive donors

Payam Akhyari et al. ESC Heart Fail. 2023 Aug.

Abstract

Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 remains high in the population. Consequently, an increasing percentage of reported organ donors are also SARS-CoV-2 positive. Although donors may not have experienced COVID-19-related symptoms, there is a chance of unnoticed cardiovascular effects associated with this disease. Therefore, SARS-CoV-2 donor grafts have been regularly rejected for heart transplantation (HTx) for a long time. We hereby present three consecutive patients receiving grafts from SARS-CoV-2 positive donors (defined by the PCR cycle threshold value < 30). All patients underwent HTx after a previous triple mRNA vaccination (mRNA-BNT162b2 vaccine, Comirnaty) without adverse events and with a regular post-operative course. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance and endomyocardial biopsies confirmed excellent graft function without signs of rejection or viral myocarditis. After a mean follow-up of 135 days after HTx, all patients were in good conditions without heart failure, viral myocarditis, or SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thus, we conclude that HTx with SARS-CoV-2 positive donors seems safe and feasible.

Keywords: COVID-19; Donor; Heart transplantation; SARS-CoV-2.

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Conflict of interest statement

None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Endomyocardial biopsy from Patient 3 approximately 1 week after heart transplantation in haematoxylin–eosin staining and ×10 magnification. There is no evidence of cellular rejection (ISHLT 0R) or myocarditis. The results shown are representative of all three reported patients.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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