Heart transplantation in the doctors' opinion (results of a questionnaire)
Buch, M.; Undas, A.; Sliwowska, B.; Sliwowski, Z.; Cieśla-Dul, M.
Kardiologia Polska 37(12): 379-382
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-9032 PMID: 1293347 Document Number: 403930
This report presents the results of the survey aimed to evaluate physicians' attitude and personal opinion on heart transplantation. The study comprised 124 people: 92 physicians (internal medicine) and 32 students of the Faculty of Medicine (sixth year) in Cracow. None of the responders was directly or indirectly involved in cardiac transplantation. Responders were assessed using questionnaire consisting of 17 questions. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. Percentage analysis and non-parametric chi-2 test were applied in statistical analysis of the results. As many as 91.9% responders declared themselves as heart transplantation supporters. As the most important causes of small number of heart transplantations in Poland the following factors were considered: inadequate quantity of cardiosurgical centers and qualified medical staff (72%), shortage of heart donors (53%), insufficient knowledge of the physician on donor's qualification (49%), excessive cost of transplantation and postoperative management (46%). Only 11.3% responders have chosen right criteria for brain death out of given possibilities, 4% identified the factors excluding potential heart donors, 89.5% have known who was authorized to diagnose brain death and 59.6% knew where to refer the donor. The fact that after cardiac transplantation the patient requires long-term immunosuppressive treatment was recognized by 87%. Only 8.3% was able to indicate the essential drug - cyclosporin A, whereas 56.1% of responders were willing to treat the patients after heart transplantation. No statistical correlation between the above-mentioned results and the place of work, degree of specialization, professional experience of the physician was found.