Why is autotransplant surgery recommended over a donor heart transplant?
Autotransplant does not require a donor heart, a lengthy wait, or immunosuppression, but still permits the surgical goal of complete resection in appropriate patients. What role does surgery play in the treatment of cardiac angiosarcoma and how might chemotherapy, surgery, and other therapies work together to create the best possible outcome for the patient? Angiosarcomas usually occur on the right side of the heart or in the pericardium. Autotransplantation is usually not necessary or appropriate for tumors in this location because they are easy to visualize. Surgery allows the best approach for tumors without metastatic spread, and which are confined to portions of the heart that are completely resectable. These tumors are often complex, and experience gained in transplantation, autotransplantation, complex cardiac valve procedures and congenital heart surgery has aided in our approach to complete resection. Unfortunately, angiosarcomas have a tendency to metastasize early. In this c
