A rare cause of graft dysfunction after a heart transplant

Abstract

A 39-year-old man with a dilated cardiomyopathy was treated for recurrent life threatening ventricular arrhythmias with an automatic defibrillator and multiple antiarrhythmic agents. After transplant, the donor heart was asystolic probably secondary to these agents. A biventricular paracorporeal device supported the patient for four days and the heart recovered. He remains NYHA class I seven years later. © 2010 Published by European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.