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Infants and children who undergo heart transplantation experience good outcomes after surgery. They can expect to live beyond 15 years post-surgery with reasonable cardiac function.
Researchers studied the survival rates of children who lived beyond 15 years of a heart transplant in order to learn more about their quality of life and factors that led to improved survival.
More than half (54.3%) of the children in the study group survived at least 15 years past surgery. Of those 15-year survivors, 82.5% (151) showed good heart function at their most recent follow-up. Their average ejection fraction was 62%, meaning that 62% of the blood in the left ventricle was pushed out with each heartbeat. A normal ejection fraction is between 55% and 70%.
The study demonstrates that children with heart transplants who live more than 15 years post-surgery can expect to have reasonable cardiac function and quality of life.
Putting it in perspective, the average adult survival rate following heart transplantation is 10 years.
Researchers studied the survival rates of children who lived beyond 15 years of a heart transplant in order to learn more about their quality of life and factors that led to improved survival.
More than half (54.3%) of the children in the study group survived at least 15 years past surgery. Of those 15-year survivors, 82.5% (151) showed good heart function at their most recent follow-up. Their average ejection fraction was 62%, meaning that 62% of the blood in the left ventricle was pushed out with each heartbeat. A normal ejection fraction is between 55% and 70%.
The study demonstrates that children with heart transplants who live more than 15 years post-surgery can expect to have reasonable cardiac function and quality of life.
Putting it in perspective, the average adult survival rate following heart transplantation is 10 years.
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