RIBEZZO M.

Background Proliferation signal inhibitors are increasingly used as immunosuppressive drugs in solid organ transplantation. Among their side effects peripheral lymphedema is rarely described in literature.Methods All heart transplant patients treated with everolimus (de novo or maintenance) at our center (135 patients: age 50.72 ± 11.1 y, 115...

OBJECTIVE: For patients in advanced heart failure, emergency transplantation or ventricular assist devices (VADs) are possible strategies. The aim of this single-centre, retrospective study was to evaluate early and long-term results for these two strategies.METHODS: From 2005 to 2011, we analysed 49 INTERMACS level 1 and 2 patients, who were...

Background: Endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) is the gold standard for immunologic follow-up to detect acute cellular rejection after cardiac transplantation. Conversely, protocols for the diagnosis and treatment of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) are not well defined. Histologically, AMR is diagnosed by the presence of capillary damage associated...

Background: Lung transplantation is the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage lung failure. Limitations are presented by the shortage of donors and the long waiting list periods. New techniques, such as extracorporeal membrane ventilator devices with or without pump support, have been developed as bridges to transplantation for...

Objective The development of pulmonary hypertension before heart transplantation increases the risk for postoperative right ventricular failure. Reversibility of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), which indicates the feasibility of heart transplantation, can be tested with the use of intravenous vasodilators, such as sodium nitroprusside...

Background Among the strategies to increase the number of lung transplants, ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) represents a novel technique to expand the donor pool. Methods Data from donors referred to our center were retrospectively analyzed to identify grafts that could potentially be potentially reconditioned by EVLP and for comparison with...