Korean J Med.
2001 Mar;60(3):228-233.
Results of heart transplantation in Korea
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 2Department of Thoracic Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 3Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Korea.
- 4Department of Thoracic Surgery, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul, Korea.
- 5Department of Cardiology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon Medical School, Inchon, Korea.
- 6Department of Thoracic Surgery, Heart Center, Gil Medical Center, Gachon Medical School, Inchon, Korea.
- 7Department of Internal Medicine, Sejong General Hospital, Puchon, Korea.
- 8Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sejong General Hospital, Puchon, Korea.
- 9Department of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Cardiac and Vascular Center, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
- 10Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Cardiac and Vascular Center, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
- 11Division of Cardiology, Yonsei Cardiovascular Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 12Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Yonsei Cardiovascular Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract
-
BACKGROUND: Heart transplantation is a definite treatment modality of the patients with end-stage heart failure. Heart transplantation has been performed in Korea since 1992, and currently it is an established procedure for the management of terminal heart failure. The purpose of this study is to clarify the Korean status of heart transplantation.
METHODS
Six major heart transplantation centers' 137 cases during the period November 1992 through May 1999 are analyzed to evaluate the general demographics, underlying heart diseases, postoperative management, complications, and survival.
RESULTS
The mean age of the patients is 37 years old, and the mean follow-up period is 25 months (1 day - 80 months, median 20 months). Most common underlying disease related to heart failure is cardiomyopathy (86%). Total 16% of patients underwent cellular rejection of ISHLT (International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation) grade 3A or more within 1 year after transplantation. The most common type of clinical infection is bacterial (18%), and the most common organism is Herpes zoster virus (6.4%). Graft coronary artery disease examined by coronary angiography detected in 3.7% of recipients within 12 months after transplantation. One, 2, 3, and 5-year overall survival rates of recipients are 81% , 72%, 71%, and 62%, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Distribution of underlying heart diseases and the frequency of graft coronary artery disease of Korean heart transplantation recipients were different from those of the western patients. Although the history of heart transplantation in Korea is relatively short, the early and long-term results are comparable with well-established centers.
