Current Status of Destination Therapy in Non-heart Transplant Facilities and Our Unique Management

Although our hospital is not a heart transplant facility, we accept many patients requiring temporary mechanical circulatory support (T-MCS), such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), as part of our role as a destination therapy (DT) facility. From May 2021 to December 2024, we performed 17 cases of DT using HeartMate 3. The patients' average age was 58±7 years. The underlying conditions included ischemic heart disease (nine cases), idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (seven cases), and drug-induced cardiomyopathy( one case). The average J-HeartMate risk score was 1.52. In this paper, we discuss the current status and challenges of DT at non-heart transplant facilities and present our unique approach to T-MCS strategies and patient education.