A New Era for Improving Cardiothoracic Transplantations

Abstract Cardiothoracic transplantation research dates back to the late 1800s, yet the first human heart transplantation did not occur until 1967. Today, more and more centers worldwide are performing such procedures with increasing success, long-term survival rates, and, importantly, with an improved quality of life for recipients. Much work remains to increase the number of available hearts and lungs for these transplants, but progress is being made for many reasons that are discussed in this chapter. The use of ex vivo lung and heart perfusion technologies along with pharmacological advancements (e.g., preservation solutions) has expanded the time available between organ recovery and transplantation, allowing for enhanced functional assessment and providing a platform for therapeutic delivery. In this chapter, we provide a brief history of cardiothoracic transplantation, review the current state of transplantation procedures, and discuss future directions for research and technological advancements.