Heart Transplant Lecture Notes

This flashcard set covers essential vocabulary and concepts related to heart transplants, including procedures, indications, contraindications, and associated medical terminology.

Heart Transplant

Surgical procedure to replace a failing heart with a donor heart.

Heart Failure

Condition where the heart is unable to pump sufficiently, often indicated by an ejection fraction (EF) less than 20%.

Ejection Fraction (EF)

Percentage of blood that is pumped out of the heart each time it beats.

Contraindications

Medical conditions or factors that prevent a patient from undergoing a specific medical procedure.

Cardiomyopathy

Disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

Narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries due to plaque buildup.

Pediatric Heart Transplants

Heart transplant procedures performed on children.

Peak VO2

Maximum rate of oxygen consumption measured during incremental exercise.

Class III to Class IV Heart Failure

Severe functional impairment where patients have markedly limited physical activity.

Immunosuppressant Medication

Drugs that suppress the immune system, essential after a transplant to prevent rejection.

Biatrial Technique

Heart transplant technique that leaves cuffs of the patient's atria to connect to the donor heart's atrial cuffs.

Bicaval Technique

Transplant technique connecting the donor's superior and inferior vena cava directly to the recipient's without removing the right atrium.

Orthostatic Hypotension

A form of low blood pressure that happens when standing up from sitting or lying down.

Chronic Psychiatric Condition

Long-term mental health disorders that could interfere with the transplant process.

Denervation

The process of cutting off nerve supply to an organ; in this case, the heart.

Reinnervation

The process by which nerves restore connection to an organ, allowing it to function normally.

Life-threatening Arrhythmia

Irregular heartbeat that poses a significant risk to life.

Tricuspid Regurgitation

A condition where the tricuspid valve does not close properly, allowing blood to flow backward into the right atrium.

Ventricular Dysfunction

Impaired function of the heart ventricles, which can lead to heart failure.

Anastomoses

Connections made between blood vessels during surgical procedures.

Cardiopulmonary Bypass Machine

Device that takes over the function of the heart and lungs during surgery.

LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device)

Mechanical device that helps pump blood from the left ventricle to the aorta.

Bridge to Transplant Therapy (BTT)

Temporary assistance with a device like LVAD while waiting for a heart transplant.

Destination Therapy

Long-term use of an LVAD in patients not eligible for a heart transplant.

Heart Biopsy

Procedure to obtain a small sample of heart tissue to check for rejection.

Primary Graft Failure

Failure of the transplanted organ to function immediately after transplant.

Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy

Coronary artery disease specific to the transplanted heart.

NYHA Functional Class

Classification system to assess the functional status of patients with heart failure.

Pulmonary Hypertension

Increased blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries, which can complicate heart conditions.

Chronic Kidney Damage

Long-term injury to the kidneys, often resulting from prolonged use of certain medications.

Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Type of cancer that originates in the lymphatic system and can be exacerbated by immunosuppressive therapy.

Educational Requirements for Transplant Candidates

Patients must undergo thorough evaluations, including physical and psychosocial assessments.

Registered Consent

Formal agreement indicating willingness to donate organs or tissues.

Morbidity

The condition of being diseased or unhealthy; in this case, complications arising from surgery.

Mechanical Circulatory Support Devices (MCSD)

Devices used to assist the heart in pumping blood.

Flow Rate

The volume of fluid that moves through a system in a given time.

Pulsatility Index (PI)

Measurement indicating the strength of ventricular contraction as assessed by an LVAD device.

Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS)

Registry that collects data on patients receiving mechanical circulatory support for advanced heart failure.