Introduction: Heart transplantation is used to treat heart failure. The first human-to-human heart transplant took place in South Africa in 1967. However, this surgical technique is not practiced in sub-Saharan Africa, but heart failure is clearly increasing in the young and active African populations. We report the case of 03 heart transplants successfully performed in the pediatric cardiac surgery department at Seoul National University Hospital. Objective: To present heart transplantations for congenital heart disease in order to reproduce them technically in sub-Saharan Africa. Casesseries:Case1: Male, 3 years old. Background: main pulmonary artery (MPA) banding, Ventricular Septal defect (VSD) closure, Heart failure requiring left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Echocardiography: left ventricle dysfunction (EF 28%), Heart transplantation. The immediate postoperative follow-up was simple. Case2: Male, 9 years old. Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMP), Left ventricular assist Device (LVAD) implantation. Echocardiography: Severe LV dysfunction, global akinesia, LV FS/EF 10.4/22.4% (PLAX). Heart transplantation. The immediate postoperative follow-up was simple. Case3: Male, 20 years old. Background: dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMP), Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), Left ventricular assisted device (L-VAD) (HeartMate 3) implantation. Echocardiography: Aggravated LV dysfunction (EF 26% - 29%). Heart transplantation. The immediate postoperative follow-up was simple. Conclusion: Heart transplantation according to the bi-caval procedure has made it possible to treat children with end-stage heart failure at Seoul National University Hospital. End-stage heart failure in Africa is clearly increasing among the young working population. Although Africa faces a range of challenges, heart transplantation is reproducible in sub-Saharan Africa.
References
[1]
Demiralp, G., Arrigo, R.T., Cassara, C. and Johnson, M.R. (2024) Heart Transplantation—Postoperative Considerations. Critical Care Clinics, 40, 137-157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccc.2023.05.004
[2]
Ambrosy, A.P., Fonarow, G.C., Butler, J., Chioncel, O., Greene, S.J., Vaduganathan, M., et al. (2014) The Global Health and Economic Burden of Hospitalizations for Heart Failure: Lessons Learned from Hospitalized Heart Failure Registries. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 63, 1123-1133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2013.11.053
[3]
Cowie, M.R., Anker, S.D., Cleland, J.G.F., Felker, G.M., Filippatos, G., Jaarsma, T., et al. (2014) Improving Care for Patients with Acute Heart Failure: Before, during and after Hospitalization. ESC Heart Failure, 1, 110-145. https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.12021
[4]
Lee, H. and Oh, B. (2017) Heart Transplantation in Asia. Circulation Journal, 81, 617-621. https://doi.org/10.1253/circj.cj-17-0162
[5]
Pio, M., Goeh-Akue, E., Afassinou, Y., Baragou, S., Atta, B., Missihoun, E., et al. (2014) Insuffisances cardiaques du sujet jeune: Aspects épidémiologiques, cliniques et étiologiques au CHU Sylvanus Olympio de Lomé. Annales de Cardiologie et d’Angéiologie, 63, 240-244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ancard.2014.04.008
[6]
Thiam, M. (2003) Insuffisance cardiaque en milieu cardiologique africain. Bulletin de la Societe de PathologieExotique, 96, 217-218.
[7]
Ambroise, G.L., Ben Justin, K.D., Florent, K., Estelle, T.M., Stéphane, K.K. and Jean-Baptiste, A.K. (2019) L’Insuffisance cardiaque (IC) à l’Institut de Cardiologie d’Abidjan: Aspects clinico-électrocardiographiques et échocardiographiques Heart failure (HF) at the Abidjan Institute of Cardiology: Clinical, Electrocardiographic and Echocardiographic Data. Revue internationale des sciences d’Abidjan, 21, 206-211.
[8]
Hassoulas, J. (2012) Transplantation of the Heart: An Overview of 40 Years’ Clinical and Research Experience at Groote Schuur Hospital and the University of Cape Town: Part I. Surgical Experience and Clinical Studies. South African Medical Journal, 102, 350-352. https://doi.org/10.7196/samj.5020
[9]
Scheld, H.H., Netz, H., Moosdorf, R., Bertram, U., Bauer, J., Stertmann, W.A., Fitz, H. and Becker, H.E. (1989) Herztransplantation Im Alter unter 2 Jahren. Die Medizinische Welt, 40, 66-69.
[10]
Rossano, J.W., Singh, T.P., Cherikh, W.S., Chambers, D.C., Harhay, M.O., Hayes, D., et al. (2019) The International Thoracic Organ Transplant Registry of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation: Twenty-Second Pediatric Heart Transplantation Report—2019; Focus Theme: Donor and Recipient Size Match. The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, 38, 1028-1041. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healun.2019.08.002
[11]
Canter, C.E., Shaddy, R.E., Bernstein, D., Hsu, D.T., Chrisant, M.R.K., Kirklin, J.K., et al. (2007) Indications for Heart Transplantation in Pediatric Heart Disease. Circulation, 115, 658-676. https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.106.180449
[12]
Burchill, L.J., Edwards, L.B., Dipchand, A.I., Stehlik, J. and Ross, H.J. (2014) Impact of Adult Congenital Heart Disease on Survival and Mortality after Heart Transplantation. The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, 33, 1157-1163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healun.2014.05.007
[13]
Barnard, C.N. (1967) The Operation. A Human Cardiac Transplant: An Interim Report of a Successful Operation Performed at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town. South African Medical Journal, 41, 1271-1274.
[14]
Ulasi, I., Ijoma, C., Ifebunandu, N., Arodiwe, E., Ijoma, U., Okoye, J., et al. (2021) Organ Donation and Transplantation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Opportunities and Challenges. In: Mihaylov, V., Ed., Organ Donation and Transplantation, IntechOpen, 1-34. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94986
[15]
Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation (2023) International Report on Organ Donation and Transplantation Activities 2022. https://www.transplant-observato-ry.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/2022-data-global-report_VF_2.pdf
[16]
Santamaria, R.L., Jeewa, A., Cedars, A., Buchholz, H. and Conway, J. (2020) Mechanical Circulatory Support in Pediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Disease. Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 36, 223-233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjca.2019.10.006
[17]
VanderPluym, C.J., Cedars, A., Eghtesady, P., Maxwell, B.G., Gelow, J.M., Burchill, L.J., et al. (2018) Outcomes Following Implantation of Mechanical Circulatory Support in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease: An Analysis of the Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS). The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, 37, 89-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healun.2017.03.005
[18]
Villa, C.R., Khan, M.S., Zafar, F., Morales, D.L.S. and Lorts, A. (2017) United States Trends in Pediatric Ventricular Assist Implantation as Bridge to Transplantation. ASAIO Journal, 63, 470-475. https://doi.org/10.1097/mat.0000000000000524
[19]
Cedars, A., Tecson, K.M., Zaidi, A.N., Lorts, A. and McCullough, P.A. (2020) Impact of Durable Ventricular Assist Device Support on Outcomes of Patients with Congenital Heart Disease Waiting for Heart Transplant. ASAIO Journal, 66, 513-519. https://doi.org/10.1097/mat.0000000000001041
[20]
Chrysakis, N., Magouliotis, D.E., Spiliopoulos, K., Athanasiou, T., Briasoulis, A., Triposkiadis, F., et al. (2024) Heart Transplantation. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 13, Article 558. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13020558
[21]
Park, M.K. and Salamat, M. (2022) Park’s Pediatric Cardiology for Practitioners. 7th Edition, Elsevier, 437-443.
[22]
Mavroudis, C. and Backer, C.L. (2015) Atlas of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery. Springer.
[23]
Maning, J., Blumer, V., Hernandez, G., Acuna, E., Li, H. and Chaparro, S.V. (2020) Bicaval vs Biatrial Anastomosis Techniques in Orthotopic Heart Transplantation: An Updated Analysis of the UNOS Database. Journal of Cardiac Surgery, 35, 2242-2247. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocs.14887
[24]
Aziz, T., Burgess, M., Khafagy, R., Hann, A.W., Campbell, C., Rahman, A., et al. (1999) Bicaval and Standard Techniques in Orthotopic Heart Transplantation: Medium-Term Experience in Cardiac Performance and Survival. The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 118, 115-122. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-5223(99)70150-9
[25]
(2024) Heart Transplantation—Uganda Heart Institute. http://www.uhi.go.ug/heart-transplantation
[26]
Awuah, W.A., Ng, J.C., Bulut, H.I., et al. (2023) The Unmet Need of Organ Transplantation in Africa. International Journal of Surgery, 109, 519-520.