Mechanical Circulatory Support and Heart Transplantation: Current Updates and Future Challenges

Dear Colleagues,

The use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) systems and heart transplantation (HTx) are now well-established life-saving treatment options for patients with end-stage heart failure. Despite advancements in MCS technology and improvement of long-term results after both ventricular assist device implantation and HTx, there are still important gaps in our knowledge and understanding which will have to be filled in the future.

This Special Issue is aimed at updating and enhancing the knowledge and skills of those engaged in this particularly demanding, and still highly current, field of clinical medicine. We aim to provide for the readers an equilibrated mix of varied contributions from original research to review articles focused on the latest key findings and major advances in MCS and HTx.

The main topics that are expected to be addressed by the authors include patient selection for MCS or HTx, insertion of MCS systems, left ventricular vs. biventricular assist device implantation, temporary right ventricular mechanical support, evolution of device technology and novel implantation techniques for durable devices, HTx techniques, management of patients with MCS and understanding of device-related adverse events, weaning from MCS systems, post HTx surveillance for acute rejection and allograft vasculopathy, immunosuppressive therapy after HTx, and patient outcomes after HTx.

Prof. Michael Dandel

Guest Editor

Manuscripts should be submitted via our online editorial system at https://imr.propub.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to start your submission. Manuscripts can be submitted now or up until the deadline. All papers will go through peer-review process. Accepted papers will be published in the journal (as soon as accepted) and meanwhile listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, reviews as well as short communications are preferred. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office to announce on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts will be thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. Please visit the Instruction for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) in this open access journal is 2200 USD. Submitted manuscripts should be well formatted in good English.