[The heart transplant. The initial experience of the Instituto do Coração de Pernambuco]. / Transplante de coração. Experiência inicial no Instituto do Coração de Pernambuco.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To describe the initial experience of a heart transplant program in Recife, Pernambuco. METHODS: Six patients in the final stage of heart failure were submitted to heart transplant. There were 4 male and 2 female patients, ranging in age from 15 to 61 years (mean, 43.8). Four had coronary heart disease and two dilated cardiomyopathy. The conventional operative technique of orthotopic heart transplant was used. All patients received a triple drug immunosuppressive therapy. RESULTS: There was one death due to acute rejection on the 28th postoperative day. The 5 survivors are in functional class I in a mean follow-up period of 113 days. CONCLUSION: The initial experience of a heart transplant program in Recife, Pernambuco, suggests that good long term results could be expected.