Combined heart-lung transplantation: a perspective on the past and the future

Trends and Outcomes of Combined Heart-Kidney and Heart-Lung Transplantation Over the Past Two Decades

INTRODUCTION

Combined heart-kidney transplantation (HKTx) and combined heart-lung transplantation (HLTx) remain the definitive therapy for patients with end-stage heart failure with concomitant end-stage renal or lung failure. We sought to study trends and outcomes of HKTx and HLTx over the last two decades.

METHODS

The United Network for Organ Sharing registry was used to identify all adult patients (aged >18 y) who underwent HKTx and HLTx between 2001 and 2021. Patients were divided into 5-y groups by the year of transplantation (2001-2006, 2007-2011, 2012-2016, and 2017-2021). Primary outcome was 1-y posttransplantation mortality. Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used for unadjusted and risk-adjusted survival analyses, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 2301 HKTx and 567 HLTx patients were included. Between 2001 and 2021, HKTx volume increased from 25 to 344 patients (P < 0.001) and centers performing HKTx increased from 19 to 76 (P < 0.001). On unadjusted analysis, 1-y survival after HKTx improved from 86.7% in 2001-2006 to 89.0% in 2017-2021 (log-rank, P = 0.005). On risk-adjusted analysis, the hazard ratio of 1-y mortality for 2017-2021 was 0.62 (0.39-1.00, P = 0.048) compared with that for 2001-2006. Between 2001 and 2021, HLTx volume increased from 21 to 43 patients (P < 0.001) and centers performing HLTx increased from 12 to 20 (P = 0.047). On unadjusted analysis, 1-y survival after HLTx improved from 68.9% in 2001-2006 to 83.9% in 2017-2021 (log-rank, P = 0.600). On risk-adjusted analysis, the hazard ratio of 1-y mortality for 2017-2021 was 0.37 (0.21-0.67, P = 0.001) compared with that for 2001-2006.

CONCLUSIONS

Over the last two decades, HKTx volume substantially increased and HLTx experienced resurgent growth. One-year survival persistently improved for both procedures, especially over the past 5 y.

BLTx Combined With Cardiac Correction in Treatment of PAH in Puerpera: Is It a Feasible Strategy?

Though pregnancy is not recommended under current guidelines in pulmonary arterial hypertension, some women insist on parturition. The related surgical treatments are controversial, especially to those complicated with Eisenmenger syndrome. In this report, 2 cases of severe pulmonary arterial hypertension complicated with Eisenmenger syndrome were reviewed. Owing to a lifesaving tenet, bilateral lung transplantation combined with surgical atrioventricular defect correction were performed after careful assessments. Both patients were followed up at 1 year and displayed no obvious complication. It showed that the strategy of bilateral lung transplantation combined with a cardiac correction may be feasible and worthy of further investigation.

Heart-lung transplantation: pediatric indications and outcomes

As indications for heart-lung transplant (HLT) have changed to some degree in the past 30 years, this treatment is being used less frequently in children due to more advanced care of severe heart and lung disease. This is fortunate as the outcomes for HLT are poor compared to other solid organ transplants and this is mainly due to the poorer outcome of the lung graft.

Heart transplantation in congenital heart disease: in whom to consider and when?

Due to impressive improvements in surgical repair options, even patients with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) may survive into adulthood and have a high risk of end-stage heart failure. Thus, the number of patients with CHD needing heart transplantation (HTx) has been increasing in the last decades. This paper summarizes the changing etiology of causes of death in heart failure in CHD. The main reasons, contraindications, and risks of heart transplantation in CHD are discussed and underlined with three case vignettes. Compared to HTx in acquired heart disease, HTx in CHD has an increased risk of perioperative death and rejection. However, outcome of HTx for complex CHD has improved over the past 20 years. Additionally, mechanical support options might decrease the waiting list mortality in the future. The number of patients needing heart-lung transplantation (especially for Eisenmenger's syndrome) has decreased in the last years. Lung transplantation with intracardiac repair of a cardiac defect is another possibility especially for patients with interatrial shunts. Overall, HTx will remain an important treatment option for CHD in the near future.