Otolaryngologic problems in cardiac transplant patients.

Cardiac transplantation is now a well-accepted treatment for selected patients who have end-stage heart disease. Of the 38 patients who underwent cardiac transplants at our center from August 1984 through August 1987, 27 received consultation for otolaryngologic problems. Eleven patients had sinonasal complications; 8 had laryngotracheal complications; 4 had otologic complications; 2 had oropharyngeal complications; and 2 had a combination of more than one of the above complications. Of these otolaryngologic disorders, 63% were infectious in etiology. Development of otolaryngologic infections generally did not correlate with either higher doses of maintenance immunosuppression or with treatment of an acute rejection episode, which requires increased immunosuppression. Otolaryngologists should be aware of the sinonasal, laryngotracheal, oropharyngeal, and otologic disorders that can occur in cardiac transplant patients.