[Heart failure: ventricular assist devices and cardiac transplantation : A  review of current surgical innovations].

CONCLUSION: Not only the number of yearly performed cardiac transplantations has changed but also recipient profiles. While in the pioneering era of transplantation the typical candidate was young, not previously operated on and with lower levels of comorbidities, today's patients are significantly older, have been fitted with ventricular assist devices and have increased operative risk profiles. Modern methods of organ preservation enable longer transportation and operation times as well as an improved assessment of graft function and perspectives for graft optimization in the future. In the area of ventricular assist devices, advances in the reduction of the stroke rate seem to have been achieved by the latest generation devices. From a surgical perspective, less invasive surgical techniques with promising initial results have been established at numerous centers. PMID: 30607463 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Der Chirurg - Category: Surgery Authors: Tags: Chirurg Source Type: research