Outcome of Heart Transplantation at Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Tehran, Iran

Heart transplantation is the last therapeutic choice in patients with severe heart failure who are symptomatic despite medical treatments and are estimated to have less than a year to live. Given the dearth of information on the initial years and outcomes of heart transplantation, we conducted the present study to determine the results of this procedure at Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Tehran, Iran, since the first transplantation. 

The current observational study, performed as a retrospective cohort, recruited 50 consecutive children who underwent heart transplantation between March 2014 and April 2017 in a census manner and determined their outcomes. 

Renal failure before transplantation was reported in 3 patients (6%), of whom 2 patients (4%) required dialysis. After transplantation, 11 subjects required dialysis. Eight patients (16%) developed hepatic failure before transplantation. Infectious complications were seen in 14 patients (28%) after transplantation. Nine patients (18%) had 1 rejection time. The mortality rate was 6%. 

It seems that despite similar indications for heart transplantation in different centers, our study revealed better results than previous studies. However, the technical and skill differences between physicians in various settings should be considered possible explanations.