Reversal of Cardiac Cirrhosis Following Orthotopic Heart Transplantation

Irreversible hepatic cirrhosis greatly increases the risks attending heart transplantation (HT), and is accordingly considered to be an absolute contraindication for HT unless combined heart and liver transplantation can be performed. It is now recognized that hepatic cirrhosis can undergo regression if the source of insult is removed, but no cases of post-HT regression of cirrhosis of cardiac origin have hitherto been reported. Here we report a case of cardiac cirrhosis that underwent complete regression following orthotopic HT, and we discuss the implications of this case.