Successful long-term outcome with prolonged ischemic time cardiac allografts.

Background: The limited availability of cardiac allografts together with the increasing number of patients on the waiting list restricts treatment of this population with heart transplantation. An increase in the available donor pool has been facilitated by the use of allografts with prolonged ischemic time (> 240 minutes).

Methods: Short- and long-term outcomes were compared in 150 heart transplant recipients on the basis of allograft ischemic time (< 241 minutes, 241 to 300 minutes, and > 300 minutes).

Results: No difference was found in allograft functional capacity, the development of transplant-associated coronary disease, or actuarial survival in the short and long term.

Conclusions: Improved population treatment with prolonged ischemic time cardiac allografts can be safely undertaken without long-term risk to heart transplant recipients.