Ultimate fate of heart transplantation. Seven years survival in a dog.

The morphological study of a canine cardiac transplantation whose survival was 7 years, without treatment for 6 years, is described. The pathological examination demonstrated a right-side heart failure due to pulmonary stenosis. A histological study revealed marks of chronical rejection induced by vascular fibrosis and perivascular infiltration of lymphocytes. This unusual kind of tolerance could be induced by donor blood transfusion at the time of transplantation.

[Heart transplantation in the dog. One case of survival for 7 years]. / Transplantation cardiaque chez le chien. Un cas de survie à 7 ans

A survival of 7 years was obtained in a dog cardiac transplant, treatment having been stopped one year after operation. Morphological study of the graft showed the existence of a fibrous type rejection reaction, involving the vessel walls and the autonomic nervous system areas of the graft, resulting in episodes of ventricular tachycardia. This case shows that a rejection reaction may progress slowly and inexorably for several years whilst long term tolerance of the graft may nevertheless be obtained, perhaps by induction due to transfusion during the operation of blood of the donor to the recipient.