Results of mechanical circulatory assistance before heart transplantation.

Between February 1984 and December 1987, 63 patients were accepted as candidates for heart transplantation. Eighteen patients (29%) required some form of mechanical circulatory support before transplantation; eight patients received an intraaortic balloon pump, five patients had left ventricular assist devices, two patients received biventricular assist devices, and in three patients the total artificial heart was implanted. Fourteen of the 18 patients underwent transplantation with seven longterm survivors.