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Causes of Cardiac Failure and Timing of Transplantation

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Solid Organ Transplantation in Infants and Children

Part of the book series: Organ and Tissue Transplantation ((OTT))

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Abstract

The term “heart failure” refers to a clinical syndrome in which the circulation fails to meet the metabolic needs of the body and remains the most common indication for heart transplantation in children. The etiology of heart failure in children can broadly be separated into two categories: (1) heart muscle diseases (cardiomyopathies), which may be further subcategorized as dilated, hypertrophic, or restrictive, depending on the dominant pathophysiology, or (2) as a result of failed palliation of congenital heart defects. Heart failure secondary to congenital heart disease is a growing indication for heart transplantation and may occur as left, right, or single ventricular failure. A significantly smaller, but important, minority of pediatric transplants occur for other indications, including protein-losing enteropathy and retransplantation.

Appropriate timing of heart transplant listing requires a thorough understanding of the mortality risk associated with heart failure and other diseases amenable to transplant. When considering a patient for transplant listing, several factors must be considered, including those that affect patient prognosis, transplant eligibility, and estimated time to organ allocation. This chapter outlines the most common reasons for transplantation in children, including the myriad causes of pediatric heart failure, highlighting the current indications for transplantation and the most important factors affecting both transplant candidacy and waitlist mortality.

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Correspondence to Seth A. Hollander .

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© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG

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Hollander, S.A. (2018). Causes of Cardiac Failure and Timing of Transplantation. In: Dunn, S., Horslen, S. (eds) Solid Organ Transplantation in Infants and Children. Organ and Tissue Transplantation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08049-9_57-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08049-9_57-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-08049-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-08049-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Causes of Cardiac Failure and Timing of Transplantation
    Published:
    15 February 2018

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08049-9_57-2

  2. Original

    Causes of Cardiac Failure and Timing of Transplantation
    Published:
    18 October 2017

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08049-9_57-1