HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

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

Ann Thorac Surg 2001;71:1754
© 2001 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

---

Correspondence

Successful recovery of allograft failure with biventricular support: Reply

^a Klinikum der Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Klinikum der FSU Jena, Klinik für Chirurgie, Herzchirurgie Postfach, 07740 Jena, Germany

(Email: johannes.albes{at}med.uni-jena.de).

To the Editor

Doctor Martinez presents a successful outcome after primary cardiac allograft failure achieved by means of biventricular assist device. This patient is indeed one of the few survivors who could be weaned primarily from the assist device after recovery of the initially transplanted organ. The course of their patient shows surprising similarities with the case presented by us, supporting our opinion that biventricular assist is an adequate treatment as it allows both ventricles to recover while unloaded. Furthermore, hemorrhage as well as sepsis appear to be almost inevitable sequelae in such a scenario. However, as it has been proved that patients primarily can be weaned and survive those problems, one should never give up on the patient, and must face those temporary drawbacks. In this context we agree entirely with the statement by Dr Martinez that it cannot be predicted initially which heart will recover and which will not [1].

	References

Top References

 

1. Albes JM, Eckstein FS, Heinemann MK, Ziemer G. Successful weaning of a transplanted heart from biventricular assist device Ann Thorac Surg 2000;70:277-278.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

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