Heart transplantation of patients with ventricular assist devices: impact of normothermic ex-vivo preservation using organ care system compared with cold storage.

Background: Organ Care System (OCS) minimizes the cold ischemic time and allows for optimization of logistics and meticulous recipient preparation. Impact of normothermic ex-vivo preservation using OCS compared with cold storage (CS) for prolonged heart preservation especially beneficial for high-risk recipients bridged to transplantation with Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS).

Methods: Between 2012 and 2018, we performed a retrospective single-center review of prospectively collected data.

Comparison of Custodiol vs warm blood cardioplegia and conditioning of donor hearts during transportation with the organ care system.

Objectives: Cold crystalloid cardioplegia for donor heart harvesting and cold ischemic storage conditions during the transportation is the standard of care during heart transplantation procedure. Organ care system (OCS) was introduced for more prolonged and reliable ex vivo organ management. This study evaluated the two different techniques used for myocardial preservation during the procurement and transportation of the heart using the OCS.

Left Ventricular Assist Device Outflow Graft Pseudoaneurysm Treated with Covered Balloon Expandable Stent.

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) outflow graft injury is a very rare complication after LVAD implantation and is usually treated surgically. This is a case report of successful stenting of the damaged outflow graft 2.5 years after LVAD implantation, followed by successful heart transplantation.

Initial 3-year outcomes with left ventricular assist devices in a country with a nascent heart transplantation program.

Aims: The need for the left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) in patients with end-stage heart failure is well established, but prior to 2011, this was not available to patients in Kazakhstan. We describe the development of the sole LVAD programme in the context of a nascent heart transplantation programme and clinical outcomes for the first three years.

Methods And Results: From November 2011 to November 2014, 146 patients underwent implantation of 152 VADs (approximately 50 devices implanted per year).

[Surgical heart failure treatment program - the experience of Kazakhstan].

In Kazakhstan, geographical and cultural reasons do not favor the development of heart transplant activity. Thus, a surgical program for treatment of advanced, refractory heart failure was implemented, focusing the efforts on ventricular assist device (VAD) therapy. The program, supported and funded by the national healthcare system, is based on a single, highly specialized surgical Center for the operation, and on a regional infrastructure for outpatient follow-up.