Heart Transplant after Mechanical Circulatory Support

Abstract

Heart transplant is the gold-standard treatment for end-stage heart failure. However, the aging of the population, increase in the prevalence of heart failure and the shortage of available donors have led to a significant increase in the wait-list times. This increase in waiting time may cause some patients clinically deteriorate while on the list. Several bridging strategies have been developed to help patients reach heart transplant. It is mandatory to know the current results of these techniques and the specific tips and tricks these different devices may have. Survival results would also be presented to help us decide the best strategy for each of our patients.