A Novel Method of Chest Wall Reconstruction Succeeding Pediatric Heart Transplantation Donor-recipient Size Mismatch: 25-year Follow-up.

Pediatric heart transplantation can present with many obstacles, including size mismatch of the donor heart with the thoracic cavity of the recipient. For the patient to have vitality, they may need to have surgical interventions to address these conditions. We investigate the case of a 23-month-old infant who underwent orthotopic heart transplantation for nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. Given the large size of the donor heart relative to the infant, a subsequent modified thoracoplasty was performed to allow for chest wall closure. This report provides potential surgical techniques that can be taken and follows the patient for a 25-year time span.