Acute Myocardial Infarction due to Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy: An Autopsy Report

Abstract

Cardiac transplantation has been established as a reliable treatment option for patients with various chronic heart diseases. In Korea, 1,319 cases of cardiac transplantation have been performed from 2000 to 2016, and more than 100 patients a year are currently operated [1,2]. With the development of surgical technique and immunosuppressant regimens, the prognosis of the recipients also has improved continuously. In the 2000s, the 5-year and 10-year survival rates were approximately 75% and 60% respectively in the western countries [3]. The long-term survival data in Korea also show compatible outcomes [4]. For the improvement of survival rate and quality of life, every cardiac recipient needs regular longterm follow-up with monitoring of acute and chronic complications such as graft rejection and side effects of drugs. Patient compliance is mandatory for these management approaches; however, it decreases over Korean J Leg Med 2018;42:92-97 https://doi.org/10.7580/kjlm.2018.42.3.92