Evaluation et accompagnement psychologique au cours de la transplantation cardiaque

Cardiac transplant currently evolves toward a paradoxical situation: the surgical technique is perfectly mastered, the treatments against rejection do not seem to progress significantly anymore since the appearance of cyclosporine and the major limiting factor to the intervention is now becoming the lack of available organs. The psychiatric assessment of the patient contributes not only to detect possible contra indications but also to consider the possibility to propose to the patient and/or his/her family and adequate psychological support. The authors describe the type of presurgical evaluation used in their transplantation unit as well the preliminary results obtained in a group of 30 transplanted patients.