[Rationale for anesthesia in non-cardiac surgery on patients with heart transplant]. / Il rationale dell'anestesia per interventi non cardiochirurgici nei pazienti cardiotrapiantati.

The introduction of cyclosporine in the prevention of rejection, together with the improvement of surgical and anaesthetic techniques, produced a tangible increase in long term survival time and the life quality of heart-transplanted patients, so that, they have to undergo non-cardiac surgical operation, more and more frequently. The aim of this report is to analyse the essential physio-pathological, clinical, haemodynamic and pharmacological knowledge in order to perform a safe anaesthesia on the above mentioned patients. The Authors are basing this report on experience obtained in deep study of their own cases. In fact they have anaesthetized 190 patients during heart transplantation; later on, 27 of these patients have undergone subsequent major or minor non-cardiac surgical operations.

[Transfusional needs and blood saving strategies during orthotopic heart transplantation]. / Necessità trasfusionali e strategie di risparmio di sangue durante trapianto cardiaco ortotopico.

It is difficult to evaluate transfusional needs during cardiac surgery. One hundred fifty patients undergoing orthotopic cardiac transplantation were divided into two groups (A and B) according to the blood saving strategies. (Group A: no important saving strategies; group B: all blood saving techniques utilized). A low blood, plasma and platelet consumption was observed, with good clinical results, in group B. During orthotopic cardiac transplantation, it would be suitable to use all the saving transfusional blood strategies and a correct use of hemocomponents as during all cardiac surgery.