Adult Congenital Heart Disease - Heart Transplantation: Failing Fontan Circulation

Mayo Clinic pediatric cardiologist and transplant expert Jonathan Johnson, M.D., discusses heart transplantation in patients with failing Fontan circulation. For more information on heart transplantation, Fontan, or to request an appointment, visit www.mayoclinic.....
Indications for heart transplantation after a Fontan operation include ventricular dysfunction, protein-losing enteropathy, plastic bronchitis, significant symptoms, and poor quality of life. Due to the anatomy of the heart being unique to each patient, CT scans are used to visualize the heart to determine the transplant strategy.
Studies have shown that patients who undergo heart transplantation after Fontan do as well as those undergoing transplantation without a prior Fontan. Immunosuppressive medications are used after surgery to keep the body from rejecting the new heart, however, infections and even cancer can be a result of the suppressed immune system.
Heart transplantation after a Fontan operation can be very complicated, so it is important to contact a facility experienced in this procedure.
Video Content Outline: • Introduction • Fontan circulation (0:27) • Heart Transplantation in Failing Fontan (1:18) • Heart Transplantation (4:00) • Heart Transplant Survival After Fontan (5:55) • Complications (6:33) • Conclusion (10:11)