Heart Retransplantation to Treat a Case of Refractory Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy / 대한내과학회지

ABSTRACT

Cardiac allograft vasculopathy is one of the most important causes of poor long-term survival after heart transplantation. The condition tends to be diffuse, usually affecting the mid-to-distal portions of the coronary artery. Reperfusion therapy is ineffective. Everolimus, an inhibitor of proliferation signaling, has been reported to prevent development of the condition; however, the efficacy thereof has not yet been fully accepted. The only definitive treatment for cardiac allograft vasculopathy is retransplantation. Herein, we describe the case of a 15-year-old boy who underwent heart retransplantation because of rapidly progressive cardiac allograft vasculopathy.