High-risk heart surgery in the heart transplant candidate.

In this article we report the results obtained at a major university medical center in patients with end-stage heart failure who underwent traditional heart operations rather than orthotopic heart transplantation. Moreover, in this article we attempt to define predictors of outcome and prognosis that may be used to assist in distinguishing patients who may benefit from conventional revascularization or valve replacement from patients who may be more appropriately treated if sent directly for heart transplantation