New Technologies for Heart Transplant Monitoring: Heart Tank

Medical advances in the evaluation and management of heart transplant allografts have contributed to increased median survival rates, approaching 15 years for first-year survivors. However, allograft rejection remains an issue and leads to long-term complications such as allograft vasculopathy, graft dysfunction, and mortality. Historically, endomyocardial biopsy has been the gold standard for transplant rejection monitoring. However, this procedure is invasive and carries risks such as bioptome-related injury and valvular regurgitation. These procedures are also costly and resource-consuming. Therefore, there has been increased attention toward non-invasive monitoring of rejection through technologies with various benefits and limitations.

This innovative session will feature three presenters, each of whom will present a fictitious, novel technology or tool for rejection surveillance. Presenters will incorporate current data on various methods (donor-derived cell-free DNA, molecular biopsies, gene expression profiling, biomarkers, etc.) within their product descriptions. The “sharks” will then have the opportunity to ask questions of the presenters. Ultimately, the sharks will vote on one product to “invest in.” May the best idea win!

Agenda

• Moderator - Megan Fraser, DNP, NP-C, CHFN, HF-Cert, FHFSA
• Moderator - Prateeti Khazanie, MD
• Presenter - Amit Patel, MD
• Presenter - Lindsey Aurora, MD
• Presenter - Luise Holzhauser, MD
• Investor - Maryjane Farr, MD, FHFSA
• Investor - Palak Shah, MD, MS, FHFSA
• Investor - Sandra Carey, MPH, PhD, FHFSA