The utilization and safety of apixaban for therapeutic anticoagulation in heart transplant population requiring routine endomyocardial biopsies.

Purpose: Routine endomyocardial (EM) biopsies pose a challenge in the management of heart transplant recipients requiring anticoagulation. Apixaban is a direct-acting oral anticoagulant (DOAC) with a short half-life allowing for brief interruptions of anticoagulation for procedures. The study objective was to determine the safety and efficacy of apixaban in heart transplant patients undergoing EM biopsies.

Intoxicated Donors and Heart Transplant Outcomes: Long-Term Safety.

Background: The opioid crisis has led to an increase in available donor hearts, although questions remain about the long-term outcomes associated with the use of these organs. Prior studies have relied on historical information without examining the toxicology results at the time of organ offer. The objectives of this study were to examine the long-term survival of heart transplants in the recent era, stratified by results of toxicological testing at the time of organ offer as well as comparing the toxicology at the time of donation with variables based on reported history.

Predictors of Renal Failure in Patients Treated With the Total Artificial Heart.

Background: The incidence of hemodialysis (HD)-dependent renal failure after total artificial heart (TAH) implantation is high. We sought to determine the preoperative predictors of HD after TAH implantation.

Methods And Results: We studied 87 patients after TAH implantation at our institution between April 2006 and March 2017.