MUSC Heart Failure and Transplant Program

Selection Criteria

Each referral is evaluated on an individual basis. However, general criteria are as follows:

The patient must have:

• End-stage (NYHA class III-IV) heart failure, refractory angina pectoris, or uncontrollable life-threatening arrhythmias not amenable to conventional medical or surgical therapy.
• Normal function or reversible dysfunction of all extra cardiac organ systems: renal, hepatic, pulmonary and neurologic.

Contraindications to transplant include:

• Severe, irreversible pulmonary hypertension.
• Recent pulmonary infarction or undiagnosed pulmonary nodules.
• Uncontrolled infection or pre-existing uncontrolled malignancy.
• Severe peripheral or cerebral vascular disease.
• Severe psychiatric disease.
• Active substance abuse including current use of cigarettes.
• Any chronic systemic illness that will limit post-transplant survival or rehabilitation.

In addition, the patient should:

• Be less than 65 years of age.
• Have adequate family support and sound psychological make-up with the ability to comply with medication and follow-up regimes.
• Have reasonable nutritional status.
• Not have morbid obesity.
• Not have malignant or hard to control hypertension.