Simultaneous transplantation of the heart and kidney

Cardiac and Delayed Renal Transplantation with Same-Donor Allografts

Three combined heart and delayed kidney transplantations were carried out between 1992 and 1998. The patients received induction therapy with antithymocyte immunoglobulin and were maintained on triple immunosuppressive therapy (cyclosporin, azathioprine, and prednisone). All are currently alive with satisfactory transplanted organ function. The medical histories, clinical course, and outcomes are described. Heart and delayed kidney transplantation with allografts from the same donor appears to be effective treatment for selected patients with end-stage cardiac and renal disease.

Combined heart and kidney transplantation provides an excellent survival and decreases risk of cardiac cellular rejection and coronary allograft vasculopathy

BACKGROUND

We analyzed the results of combined heart-kidney transplantation (CHKTx) over a 10-year period.

METHODS

Between September 1996 and May 2007 at Mayo Clinic, 12 patients (age 52 ± 12.2 years) underwent CHKTx as a simultaneous procedure in 10 recipients and as a staged procedure in two recipients with unstable hemodynamics after heart transplantation.

RESULTS

There was no operative mortality. Patient survival rates for the CHKTx recipients at 1 and 3 months and 6 years were 91%, 83%, and 83% and did not differ from isolated heart transplantation (IHTx) recipients (97%, 95%, and 79%, P = 0.61). The freedom from cardiac allograft rejection (≥ grade 2) at 3 months was 73% for CHKTx and had not changed during further follow-up; for IHTx, freedom from rejection at 3 months and 1 and 6 years was 61%, 56%, and 42% (P = .08). Heart and renal allograft survival was 100% with and left ventricular ejection fraction 66% ± 8.4% and glomerular filtration rate 61 ± 25 at last follow-up. There were no signs of cardiac allograft vasculopathy in the CHKTx recipients.

CONCLUSION

CHKTx yields favorable long-term outcome, with a low incidence of cardiac rejection and vasculopathy. Simultaneous CHKTx appears feasible, if hemodynamics is satisfactory. This approach expands the selection criteria for transplantation in patients with coexisting end-stage cardiac and renal disease.

Combined heart and kidney transplantation: long-term analysis of renal function and major adverse events at 20 years

BACKGROUND

Combined heart-kidney transplantation (HKTx) is an accepted therapeutic option for patients with end-stage heart disease associated with severely impaired renal function. We report our long-term follow-up with this combined procedure.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between April 1989 to November 2009, nine patients underwent combined simultaneous (HKTx) at our center. Seven patients were males (mean age 45.2 +/- 10.12 years); seven patients were on dialysis at the time of transplantation.

RESULTS

Surgical procedures were uneventful in all patients. One patient died in the intensive care unit 41 days after transplantation. During long-term follow-up, three patients died: one due to infection and multiorgan failure 148 months after HKTx, one due to a lung neoplasm after 6 years, and one, a cerebral stroke at 34 months after transplantation. Only one patient experience renal allograft failure secondary to hypertension and cyclosporine nephrotoxicity at 10 years after HKTx with the need for renal replacement therapy. Last estimated glomerular filtration rates of all other patients was 61.3 +/- 17.4 mL/min.

CONCLUSIONS

In selected patients, with coexisting end-stage cardiac and renal failure, combined HKTx with an allograft from the same donor proved to give satisfactory short- and long-term results, with a low incidence of both cardiac and renal allograft complications.

[Renal graft outcome in patients with combined heart-kidney transplantation]

INTRODUCTION

Improvement in surgical and organ preservation techniques and immunosuppressive therapy has permitted multiorganic transplants in patients needing both heart and kidney organs in a synchronous or asynchronous way.

OBJECTIVES

To review our results in renal transplants in those patients with both heart and kidney transplants.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Retrospective study of the 7 patients with heart and kidney transplants performed in our Hospital. We have reviewed patients main characteristics, heart and renal failure causes, renal graft and patient outcome and complications related to renal transplant.

RESULTS

Between 1985 and 2006 we performed 411 heart transplants; in 7 out of those 411 patients (1.7%) we performed 9 renal transplants, 2 simultaneously and 7 non-simultaneously. All patients were male; their average age at heart transplant was 51.3+/-12.2 years (24-60); the causes of the heart transplant were dilated myocardiopathy in 4 cases (57.2%), rheumatic cardiopathy in 1 (14.3%) and ischemic cardiopathy in 2 (28.5%). The average age at renal transplant was 57.5+/-11.2 years (32-68); the causes of the end renal failure were cyclosporine nephrotoxicity in 3 cases (33.3%), nephroangiosclerosis in 1 (11.1%), chronic interstitial nephropathy in 2 (22.2%), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis in 1 (11.1%) and chronic rejection in 2 (22.2%). In the 2 simultaneous heart-kidney transplants cold ischemia was 4 hours long, immediate diuresis was seen in 1 case (50%) and there were no complications related to the kidney transplants. The time between the heart and kidney transplants in the 7 non-simultaneous heart-kidney transplants was 105.9+/-51.8 months (23-201 months), cold ischemia was 20.3+/-1.5 hours (18-22) and there was immediate diuresis in 5 cases (71.5%); 2 patients had no complications, 2 cases had acute renal rejection episodes, 1 case of perirenal haematoma, 1 renal polar infarction, lymphocele, 1 case of wound infection, 1 urinary infection and 2 pulmonary infections. Medium follow-up is 52.2+/-33.9 months (12-93); all patients are alive with functioning grafts with creatinine level of 1.8+/-0.43 mg/100 (1.4-2.4). Two renal grafts were lost due to chronic rejection 138 and 270 days after the kidney transplants. The immunotherapy was based on mycophenolate mofetil acid and tacrolimus, though it varied.

CONCLUSIONS

The final renal failure associated to cardiopathies needing or having needed heart transplant does not preclude the transplants of both organs.

Long-Term Follow-Up of Simultaneous Heart and Kidney Transplantation With Single Donor Allografts: Report of Nine Cases

BACKGROUND

Combined heart-kidney transplantation is an accepted therapeutic option for patients with end-stage heart disease associated with severely impaired renal function. We report our single-institutional experience with this combined procedure and long-term follow-up.

METHODS

Between April 1989 and August 2006, 9 patients underwent combined simultaneous heart-kidney transplantation at our center. Seven patients were male (mean age, 45.2 +/- 10.12 years); 7 patients were on dialysis at transplantation. Whenever possible, donors were selected on the basis of ABO identity, weight (ratio > or = 0.9), on-site or short-distance procurement, young age, low inotropic support, and normal renal function.

RESULTS

Mean ischemic time was 132.2 +/- 57.0 minutes for the cardiac allograft and 6.0 +/- 1.0 hours for the kidney. Surgical procedure was uneventful in all patients. One patient died in the intensive care unit 41 days after transplantation. Three patients died during follow-up, 1 of lung neoplasm after 6 years, 1 of cerebral stroke after 34 months, and 1 of infection and multiorgan failure after 148 months. The mortality rates led to an overall actuarial survival of 88.9% +/- 10.4% at 1 year, 77.8% +/- 13.6% at 5 years, and 64.8% +/- 16.5% at 10 years. Seven patients lived beyond 5 years, 4 beyond 10 years, and the patient who has longest survival is patient no. 1, with 17 years of follow-up. One patient lost kidney function after 113 months.

CONCLUSIONS

In selected patients, with coexisting end-stage cardiac and renal failure, combined heart-kidney transplantation with allograft from the same donor proved to have satisfactory short- and long-term results, with a low incidence of both cardiac and renal allograft rejection.

Ten-year follow-up in patients with combined heart and kidney transplantation

BACKGROUND

Combined heart and kidney transplantation has been documented, although data regarding immunosuppression, rejection episodes, and graft or patient survival have not been detailed. We evaluated our experience and more than 10-year outcome with patients selected for combined heart and kidney transplantation.

METHODS

Eight patients aged 29 to 59 years were selected for combined heart and kidney transplantation. The indications were end-stage heart disease and underlying renal pathology, or secondary renal insufficiency, or renal failure. Six patients were dialysis dependent before transplantation. There were 7 simultaneous procedures and 1 staged procedure. The heart was transplanted first in all cases. All patients were maintained after transplantation on azathioprine (2 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) and whole-blood monoclonal cyclosporine levels at greater than 200 microg/L; prednisone was not decreased to less than 10 mg/d.

RESULTS

Seven (87.5%) patients have survived a mean duration of 100.4 months (range, 51-144 months), and each allograft has continued to function. The only death was due to pulmonary emboli and was not related to allograft rejection or failure. Only 4 cardiac and 4 kidney allograft rejections have occurred. Five patients have been free of kidney rejection, 1 patient has been rejection free for more than 8 years, and no patient has had simultaneous rejection.

CONCLUSIONS

In select patients, combined heart and kidney transplantation can provide long-term graft function and patient survival. The low rates of rejection support our current approach to immunosuppression. Our experience indicates that end-stage failure of either heart or kidney does not necessarily preclude dual-organ transplantation.

Retransplantation of multiple organs: how many organs should one individual receive?

Every year, the transplant waiting list gets longer, while donor numbers essentially remain the same. This makes the responsibility of being good stewards of this precious and limited resource greater than ever. Transplant teams, who are both committed to their patients and aware of this important responsibility, are left to make the difficult and ethical decisions regarding retransplantation. Retransplantation of organs in pediatric patients presents a different set of issues to consider, and the results are promising. This case study presents a boy who received a kidney transplant for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis at age 5. At age 11, because of the recurrence of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and severe cardiomyopathy, he required a rare combined kidney-heart transplant. At age 17, he developed chronic renal failure and posttransplant coronary artery disease, most likely related to a period of noncompliance, and required yet another combined kidney-heart transplant. He is currently alive and well 2 years after transplantation.

Retransplantation of Multiple Organs: How Many Organs Should One Individual Receive?

Every year, the transplant waiting list gets longer, while donor numbers essentially remain the same. This makes the responsibility of being good stewards of this precious and limited resource greater than ever. Transplant teams, who are both committed to their patients and aware of this important responsibility, are left to make the difficult and ethical decisions regarding retransplantation. Retransplantation of organs in pediatric patients presents a different set of issues to consider, and the results are promising. This case study presents a boy who received a kidney transplant for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis at age 5. At age 11, because of the recurrence of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and severe cardiomyopathy, he required a rare combined kidney-heart transplant. At age 17, he developed chronic renal failure and posttransplant coronary artery disease, most likely related to a period of noncompliance, and required yet another combined kidney-heart transplant. He is currently alive and well 2 years after transplantation.

Rare combined heart and kidney transplant in a pediatric patient: a case study

Multiple reports of successful combined heart and kidney transplants adults suggest that this may be a viable option for a small subset of patients with coexisting end-stage heart and kidney failure. A review of the literature, however, reveals that few combined heart and kidney transplants have been reported in children. This article presents the case of a 13-year-old boy who underwent unsuccessful palliative surgery for a congenital heart defect. The patient developed heart failure with subsequent acute renal failure, and ultimately required a combined heart and kidney transplant. The combined procedure was successful in this patient and he is alive and well 27 months postoperatively.

An overview of combined heart and kidney transplantation

This review describes to date the experience with combined heart-kidney transplant (HNTx) from a single donor. HNTxs are very uncommon relative to single-organ transplants of the heart and kidney, as well as combined kidney-pancreas and combined kidney-liver transplants. Two groups of patients seem to be candidates for HNTx: 1) those with end-stage heart disease and fixed (nonreversible) renal disease, and 2) those with end-stage renal disease and severe cardiac disease unamenable to other treatment. In both groups, significant disease should be limited to the heart and kidney. Reports to date generally suggest decreased cardiac rejection in HNTx relative to heart-only transplants. Renal rejection in HNTx seems markedly reduced relative to kidney-only transplants. Simultaneous rejection of both organs is very uncommon, and, therefore, surveillance of both organs is necessary. Short-term patient survival seems to be acceptable in HNTx. Long-term patient and graft survival remains unknown, and further multi-center reports are needed.

Combined heart and kidney transplantation using a single donor: a single center's experience with nine cases

BACKGROUND

Simultaneous double-organ transplants comprising various organ combinations have become frequent. The purpose of this article is to report on a single center's experience of simultaneous heart and kidney transplantation (HNTX) with particular emphasis on selection criteria and patient outcome.

METHODS

From September 1990 to January 1997, nine patients underwent HNTX, receiving both grafts from a single donor selected on ABO blood group compatibility and a negative lymphocytotoxic crossmatch, but without regard to HLA-antigen matching.

RESULTS

One patient died of acute humoral rejection of the cardiac graft shortly after surgery. Eight patients are alive and well and have normal cardiac and renal function at a mean follow-up of 44+/-28 months.

CONCLUSION

HNTX offers a compelling therapeutic solution in the treatment of advanced cardiac and renal failure in carefully selected patients. Because the heart and kidney rejection episodes were independent of each other, rejection surveillance should be carried out separately for each transplanted organ.

Combined heart and kidney transplantation in a child: will we need it more in the future?

A 12-year-old girl affected by idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and renal failure was referred to our institution for cardiac transplantation. A simultaneous heart-kidney transplantation from the same donor was decided. The immunosuppression schedule consisted of azathioprine, antithymocyte globulin, steroids, and cyclosporine. At a follow-up visit at 24 months after transplantation, no episodes of heart or kidney rejection had occurred and cardiac and renal function were good. Concomitant failure of heart and kidney is well known in the literature, but it appears to be more frequent in adult as compared with the pediatric population. This is the first case of combined heart and kidney transplantation in a child. Because of the successful outcome and good follow-up, the number of combined organ transplantations will most likely increase in the future.