Case Report: Cardiac transplantation in a 76-year-old recipient: moving from anagraphic to biological age under a geriatric perspective
Background/objectivesHeart transplantation remains the definitive treatment for end-stage heart failure. However, donor shortages and the increasing age of candidates present significant challenges. This report aims to highlight the feasibility and successful outcome of heart transplantation in an e...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Transplantation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frtra.2025.1595938/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849709322748035072 |
|---|---|
| author | Lorenzo Giovannico Federica Mazzone Giuseppe Fischetti Domenico Parigino Luca Savino Claudia Leo Giuseppe Cristiano Tommaso Acquaviva Nicola Di Bari Massimo Padalino Tomaso Bottio |
| author_facet | Lorenzo Giovannico Federica Mazzone Giuseppe Fischetti Domenico Parigino Luca Savino Claudia Leo Giuseppe Cristiano Tommaso Acquaviva Nicola Di Bari Massimo Padalino Tomaso Bottio |
| author_sort | Lorenzo Giovannico |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background/objectivesHeart transplantation remains the definitive treatment for end-stage heart failure. However, donor shortages and the increasing age of candidates present significant challenges. This report aims to highlight the feasibility and successful outcome of heart transplantation in an elderly patient, questioning traditional age-based eligibility criteria.MethodsA 76-year-old male with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and severe heart failure underwent orthotopic heart transplantation. Preoperative assessments included right heart catheterization, echocardiography, and cardiac index evaluation. A suitable 66-year-old female donor was identified, and transplantation was performed using the bicaval technique. Postoperative outcomes were monitored through echocardiography and biopsy analysis.ResultsThe patient had an uneventful postoperative course, with extubation on day 1 and discharge on postoperative day 30. Follow-up at 14 months showed excellent clinical recovery, with an improved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 58% and global longitudinal strain (GLS) of −20.8%. No signs of rejection were observed on biopsy.ConclusionsThis case represents the oldest documented successful heart transplant recipient discharged home. The findings suggest that age alone should not be a limiting factor in transplantation eligibility. Expanding criteria to include well-selected elderly patients could help address the growing demand for donor hearts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-80f7fd87012f4757b35a689db747e03d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2813-2440 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Transplantation |
| spelling | doaj-art-80f7fd87012f4757b35a689db747e03d2025-08-20T03:15:20ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Transplantation2813-24402025-07-01410.3389/frtra.2025.15959381595938Case Report: Cardiac transplantation in a 76-year-old recipient: moving from anagraphic to biological age under a geriatric perspectiveLorenzo GiovannicoFederica MazzoneGiuseppe FischettiDomenico PariginoLuca SavinoClaudia LeoGiuseppe CristianoTommaso AcquavivaNicola Di BariMassimo PadalinoTomaso BottioBackground/objectivesHeart transplantation remains the definitive treatment for end-stage heart failure. However, donor shortages and the increasing age of candidates present significant challenges. This report aims to highlight the feasibility and successful outcome of heart transplantation in an elderly patient, questioning traditional age-based eligibility criteria.MethodsA 76-year-old male with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and severe heart failure underwent orthotopic heart transplantation. Preoperative assessments included right heart catheterization, echocardiography, and cardiac index evaluation. A suitable 66-year-old female donor was identified, and transplantation was performed using the bicaval technique. Postoperative outcomes were monitored through echocardiography and biopsy analysis.ResultsThe patient had an uneventful postoperative course, with extubation on day 1 and discharge on postoperative day 30. Follow-up at 14 months showed excellent clinical recovery, with an improved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 58% and global longitudinal strain (GLS) of −20.8%. No signs of rejection were observed on biopsy.ConclusionsThis case represents the oldest documented successful heart transplant recipient discharged home. The findings suggest that age alone should not be a limiting factor in transplantation eligibility. Expanding criteria to include well-selected elderly patients could help address the growing demand for donor hearts.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frtra.2025.1595938/fullheart transplantationelderly patientsdonor criteriaheart failure treatmenttransplant eligibility |
| spellingShingle | Lorenzo Giovannico Federica Mazzone Giuseppe Fischetti Domenico Parigino Luca Savino Claudia Leo Giuseppe Cristiano Tommaso Acquaviva Nicola Di Bari Massimo Padalino Tomaso Bottio Case Report: Cardiac transplantation in a 76-year-old recipient: moving from anagraphic to biological age under a geriatric perspective Frontiers in Transplantation heart transplantation elderly patients donor criteria heart failure treatment transplant eligibility |
| title | Case Report: Cardiac transplantation in a 76-year-old recipient: moving from anagraphic to biological age under a geriatric perspective |
| title_full | Case Report: Cardiac transplantation in a 76-year-old recipient: moving from anagraphic to biological age under a geriatric perspective |
| title_fullStr | Case Report: Cardiac transplantation in a 76-year-old recipient: moving from anagraphic to biological age under a geriatric perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Case Report: Cardiac transplantation in a 76-year-old recipient: moving from anagraphic to biological age under a geriatric perspective |
| title_short | Case Report: Cardiac transplantation in a 76-year-old recipient: moving from anagraphic to biological age under a geriatric perspective |
| title_sort | case report cardiac transplantation in a 76 year old recipient moving from anagraphic to biological age under a geriatric perspective |
| topic | heart transplantation elderly patients donor criteria heart failure treatment transplant eligibility |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frtra.2025.1595938/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lorenzogiovannico casereportcardiactransplantationina76yearoldrecipientmovingfromanagraphictobiologicalageunderageriatricperspective AT federicamazzone casereportcardiactransplantationina76yearoldrecipientmovingfromanagraphictobiologicalageunderageriatricperspective AT giuseppefischetti casereportcardiactransplantationina76yearoldrecipientmovingfromanagraphictobiologicalageunderageriatricperspective AT domenicoparigino casereportcardiactransplantationina76yearoldrecipientmovingfromanagraphictobiologicalageunderageriatricperspective AT lucasavino casereportcardiactransplantationina76yearoldrecipientmovingfromanagraphictobiologicalageunderageriatricperspective AT claudialeo casereportcardiactransplantationina76yearoldrecipientmovingfromanagraphictobiologicalageunderageriatricperspective AT giuseppecristiano casereportcardiactransplantationina76yearoldrecipientmovingfromanagraphictobiologicalageunderageriatricperspective AT tommasoacquaviva casereportcardiactransplantationina76yearoldrecipientmovingfromanagraphictobiologicalageunderageriatricperspective AT nicoladibari casereportcardiactransplantationina76yearoldrecipientmovingfromanagraphictobiologicalageunderageriatricperspective AT massimopadalino casereportcardiactransplantationina76yearoldrecipientmovingfromanagraphictobiologicalageunderageriatricperspective AT tomasobottio casereportcardiactransplantationina76yearoldrecipientmovingfromanagraphictobiologicalageunderageriatricperspective |