Evidence for antibody and immune-complex deposition in heart transplantation: a report of three cases.

Immunofluorescence microscopy of endomyocardial biopsy specimens from heart allograft recipients identified immunopathologic changes in three of 17 patients. These changes included immunoglobulin G and complement C3 deposition in tissue structures such as capillary endothelium and basal membranes, cardiomyocyte sarcolemma, and interstitial tissue. Moreover, the immunopathologic changes could be correlated with acute cellular rejection episodes evidenced by endomyocardial biopsy criteria.

Some aspects of experimental heart transplantation.

In 144 experiments carried out on dogs, the possibility was proved to use for the recipient's protection during transplantation either deep immersion hypothermia or total artificial circulation without it being filled with the donor's blood. In order to maintain cardiac activity after clinical death of a non-heparinized organism for the purpose of later heart transplantation the authors propose to use the direct mechanical cardiac massage (DMCM) which makes possible not only to restore adequate pulsating blood flow in the dead body but also to assess after restoration of the heart's pump function the suitability of using it for transplantation. Functional adaptation of a transplanted heart proceeds in 3 stages: pronounced heart failure (5-15 min), functional heart failure (4-6 hours), stabilization of cardiac activity (2-3 days).