Heart Transplantation in Iran; A Comprehensive Single-Center Review of 15-Year Performance

Background: Heart transplantation in Iran was first performed in July 1993. Since then, Shariati Hospital, affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences, has been representing the most active center of cardiac transplantation in Iran and one of the major sites in the Middle East. This is a comprehensive review of our 15-year practice registry to make a scheme of our record and achievements. Methods: Clinical data on all consecutive transplanted patients from the Department of Cardiac Surgery, Shariati Hospital, Tehran, Iran over the last 15 years were reviewed. Descriptive and analytical statistics were extracted in regard to recipients, donors, surgical characteristics, and current status of the patients on follow-up. Results: Totally, 90 patients were transplanted since 1993; 11, 32, and 47 in three five-year periods, respectively. The mean age of the recipients was 29.30±13.17 years. Motor-vehicle accident was the main cause of brain death of donors (48.8%). The most common indication for surgery was idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (75.5%).The mean survival rate has been 6.66±0.87 years. One-year and five-year survivals had a rising trend through the five-year periods. Acute allograft rejection and infection were the two major events complicating our transplants. Conclusion: This study shows that despite a vast variety of obstacles, we have passed the primitive milestones. The number of transplants is increasing at a higher rate in recent years, and patients’ survival rates and outcomes seem to be improving.