Implantable Defibrillators and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Heart Transplant Recipients: Results of a National Survey

Little is known about the use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization devices in heart transplant recipients. A survey of 59 medical directors of heart transplant programs (response rate, 55.7%) found no clear consensus about indications for implantation of cardiac devices. A device was implanted in 44 recipients (38 with defibrillator alone), and 6 had an appropriate discharge during follow-up. There was an interest in establishing a registry to enable further study and analysis.