The Role of Intravascular Ultrasound in Heart Transplant Recipients in the Modern Era

Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is the Achilles ’ heel of heart transplantation. An insidious process of panvascular, fibrointimal proliferation, CAV results in chronic ischemia, restrictive physiology, reduced left ventricular function, arrhythmias, and sudden death. CAV is the second most common cause of death after malignancy in heart transp lant recipients more than 1 year post transplantation and is also the leading indication for retransplantation.
Source: Journal of Cardiac Failure - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research