Cor Vasa 2018, 60(5):e518-e521 | DOI: 10.1016/j.crvasa.2017.10.004

Combined orthotopic heart transplantation followed by autologous stem cell transplantation in a patient with light chain amyloidosis and isolated cardiac involvement

Vito Maurizio Parato^a,*, Daniela Clemente^a, Francesca Muscente^a, Michele Scarano^a, Ugolino Livi^b, Negri Francesco^c, Rossana Bussani^d, Nicoletta Finato^e, Francesca Patriarca^f, Raffaella Stocchi^f, Mauro Driussi^g, Gianfranco Sinagra^c

^a Cardiology Unit, Madonna del Soccorso Hospital, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy

^b Department of Cardiothoracic, University Hospital of Udine, Italy

^c Cardiovascular Department, Division of Cardiology, "Ospedali Riuniti and University of Trieste", Trieste, Italy

^d Department of Pathology and Morbid Anatomy, "Ospedali Riuniti and University of Trieste", Trieste, Italy

^e Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy

^f Division of Hematology, Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Department of Medical and Morphological Research, University Hospital "Santa Maria della Misericordia", Udine, Italy

^g Division of Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Department, University Hospital "Santa Maria della Misericordia", Udine, Italy

We present a case of amyloidosis AL with isolated myocardial involvement. Because of a refractory heart failure picture, patient underwent orthotopic heart transplant (OHT). The replaced heart showed an important midwall infiltration. Ten months after he underwent autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) with a favorable outcome. The case demonstrates that OHT followed by ASCT in highly selected patients with light chain amyloidosis is a life-saving procedure.

Keywords: Autologous stem cell transplantation; Light chain amyloidosis; Orthotopic heart transplantation

Received: June 25, 2017; Revised: October 1, 2017; Accepted: October 3, 2017; Published: October 1, 2018  Show citation