Perioperative management in pediatric heart transplantation

Peri- and early postoperative mortality significantly influences the probability of survival following heart transplantation in children. Main causes of death early after transplantation are rejection, non specific graft failure and RV failure due to pulmonary hypertension. Optimal therapy of pulmonary hypertension and aggressive use of assist devices as a bridge to recovery will substantially improve survival in the early period after transplantation. Furthermore, the use of marginal donor organs will be more acceptable because transient myocardial insufficiency may recover during extracorporeal life support.