Dual liver-heart transplantation for highly allosensitized heart failure patients.

Studies have demonstrated that the liver acts as an immunologic sink when transplanted with another organ from the same donor. In this work, we review evidence of this phenomenon in kidney-liver and heart-liver transplantation. We then explore the pros and cons of this strategy as a way of helping to transplant end stage heart failure patients who are highly allosensitized but do not have severe liver disease. By considering this strategy in the context of alternative therapies, we explain the types of patients who may benefit from it.