Heart Transplant

Heart Transplantation for Amyloid Heart Disease

Traditionally heart transplants have not been performed for primary amyloid heart disease because the disease affects other parts of the body, possibly decreasing survival chances. However, doctors at Mayo Clinic have been able to carefully select patients whose systemic amyloidosis is under sufficient control to allow heart transplantation.

Currently, Mayo Clinic has the most experience in North America in heart transplantation for amyloidosis, with 55 percent of patients surviving five years after heart transplant and some patients surviving more than 10 years.

The multidisciplinary integration of the Transplant Center contributes to the high success rates of these patients, who often undergo multiple transplants. In many cases, heart transplants are combined with stem cell transplantation to control the systemic manifestations of amyloidosis.

Mayo also has significant experience in combined heart and liver transplants for familial amyloid heart disease with the majority of patients surviving at least five years.