Orthotopic Heart Transplant in Turkey With 5 Months' Follow-Up

A successful heart transplantation was performed at Koşuyolu Heart and Research Hospital, İstanbul, on September 7, 1989. Tnhe patient was a 58 year-old male. He had end-stage heart failure due to coronary artery disease with global ventricular dysfunction. Cardiac catheterization findings were consistent with the presence of ischemic cardiomyopathy and very poor ventricular function. The patient underwent orthotopic cardiac transplantation. Immunosuppression was based on cyclosporine, azathioprine and low dose steroid with an initial 3-day course of antithymocyte globulin. Three rejection episodes occurred within the first 6 weeks of transplantation and all were moderate. These episodes were treated with a course of intravenous methylprednisolone and ATG. The early function of the trnsplanted heart at 5 months has been satisfactory.