Gegenwärtiger Stand der Herztransplantation

Today, due to positive intermediate and long-term survival rates, heart transplantation is the therapy of choice for patients with endstage cardiac disease. Further long-term improvement has been achieved by the introduction of new immunological regimes, methods of non-invasive diagnosis of rejection, extension of the selection criteria for donor hearts, and better understanding of the long term problems of the transplanted heart. In patients with acute congestive heart failure, the use of mechanical circulatory support prior to transplantation is a strategy with promising results. Presently a standardized surveillance regimen helps ensure a high rehabilitation rate and a low morbidity rate for heart-transplanted patients.