Pulmonary arteriopexy to prevent pulmonary artery kinking in orthotopic heart transplantation

J Card Surg. 2019 Jul;34(7):617-619. doi: 10.1111/jocs.14084. Epub 2019 May 21.

Abstract

Heart transplantation is still the best treatment for patients with end-stage heart failure unresponsive to medical therapy or those treated with mechanical circulatory support. The surgical technique for heart transplantation is fraught with potential complications. One of these potential complications, kinking of the pulmonary artery after anastomosis of the recipient and donor pulmonary arteries, has been reported as a cause of acute right ventricular failure. We describe a technique to ensure proper configuration of the pulmonary artery after heart transplantation via a pulmonary arteriopexy to restore a physiologically appropriate angle of the great vessels.

Keywords: aorta and great vessels; transplant.

MeSH terms

  • Anastomosis, Surgical / methods*
  • Heart Transplantation*
  • Humans
  • Intraoperative Care / methods*
  • Intraoperative Complications / prevention & control*
  • Postoperative Complications / prevention & control*
  • Pulmonary Artery / pathology
  • Pulmonary Artery / surgery*
  • Stenosis, Pulmonary Artery / prevention & control*
  • Vascular Surgical Procedures / methods*