ATS
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Personal Folders
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Author home page(s):
Michael H. Schatzlein
Alan C. Peterson
Right arrow Permission Requests
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Schatzlein, M. H.
Right arrow Articles by Tomusk, A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Schatzlein, M. H.
Right arrow Articles by Tomusk, A.

Ann Thorac Surg 1987;44:186-188
© 1987 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Articles

Cardiac Transplantation: First-Year Experience in a Community Hospital

Michael H. Schatzlein, M.D.*, Alan C. Peterson, M.D., Ronald H. Scheeringa, M.D., William R. Clark, Jr., M.D., John T. Lucas, M.D., William W. Pond, M.D., Siong H. Thong, M.D., Robert L. Lindsey, M.D., Richard M. Johnston, II, M.D., Steven M. Jones, M.D., August Tomusk, M.D.

Northern Indiana Heart Institute, Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne, IN

Accepted for publication January 27, 1987.

* Address reprint requests to Dr. Schatzlein, 2828 Fairfield Ave, Fort Wayne, IN 46807

The issue of decentralizing heart transplant services, formerly restricted to a few large medical centers, is currently under review by federal and state governments. We present the results of the first year of cardiac transplantation at a 385-bed community hospital. Twelve patients were selected according to generally accepted criteria from a pool of 24 referrals, all from within 75 miles of our institution. All patients were in New York Heart Association Class IV preoperatively. The one-year survival rate was found to be 82%, which is equivalent to that reported by established centers. All surviving patients were fully rehabilitated. Rates of infection and rejection were lower than expected, and costs were about half the national average. This series, in all likelihood, tests the limits to which the decentralization of cardiac transplant services can be taken. We conclude that cardiac transplantation can be accomplished at a community hospital with results, even for the first patients undergoing transplantation, comparable to those obtained by established programs at major medical centers.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
ANN THORAC SURG ASIAN CARDIOVASC THORAC ANN EUR J CARDIOTHORAC SURG
J THORAC CARDIOVASC SURG ICVTS ALL CTSNet JOURNALS
Copyright © 1987 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.