Clinical considerations of cardiac transplantation in organ transplantation: preoperative and postoperative evaluation.

Cardiac transplantation is being performed with increasing frequency worldwide; over 840 transplants were performed in 1985. All facets of cardiac transplantation are reviewed, including preoperative evaluation of both recipients and donors, technical aspects of the surgical procedure, and postoperative care of the recipient. Immunosuppression, complications, and long-term statistics are also reviewed. Particular care is taken to discuss pertinent radiographic studies as they apply to cardiac transplantation.