Cardiac valve operations after solid organ transplantation: A single-center experience

Cardiovascular outcomes in solid organ transplant recipients undergoing cardiac surgery: A matched pair analysis

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to compare postoperative outcomes after cardiac surgery in solid-organ transplant recipients and nontransplant patients.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of 78 consecutive transplant recipients who underwent cardiac surgery at Asan Medical Center between 2000 and 2022 and were matched with 312 nontransplant patients who underwent cardiac surgery at a 1:4 ratio. The outcomes included 30-day mortality, all-cause death, cardiac death, readmission, and cardiac readmission.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in baseline characteristics between the two groups. The most common type of cardiac surgery performed in solid organ transplant recipients was isolated valve surgery, followed by isolated CABG. The 30-day mortality was not significantly different between transplant recipients and nontransplant patients (3.9% vs. 3.5%; P > .99). Solid organ transplant recipients showed a higher all-cause mortality compared to nontransplant patients (29.1% vs. 14.3% at 5 years; P = .001); however, there was no significant difference in cardiac death between the two groups (2.6% vs. 3.2% at 5 years; P = .80). In addition, the readmission and cardiac readmission rates showed comparable findings to that of mortality.

CONCLUSION

Cardiac surgery can be performed safely in solid organ transplant recipients, with postoperative cardiovascular outcomes comparable to those observed in nontransplant patients.