Blanche C, Tsai T P, Czer L S, Valenza M, Aleksic I, Trento A
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles 90048, USA.
Cardiovasc Surg. 1995 Oct;3(5):549-52. doi: 10.1016/0967-2109(95)94457-8.
Superior vena cava stenosis presented as a postoperative complication of orthotopic heart transplantation in a patient in whom a new surgical technique was used. This alternative technique consists of total excision of the recipient's atria, with donor heart implantation performed using bicaval and pulmonary venous anastomoses. This rare complication required surgical repair 1 month after transplantation. The patient remains well on long-term follow-up. The pathogenesis, surgical management and modifications of the alternative technique to prevent this potentially serious complication are discussed.
