On March 13, 2024, our hospital held a press conference titled "Heart Transplantation in a Special Case of Adult Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-A) Complicated by COVID-19," sharing a domestic case of adult COVID-19 infection complicated by MIS-A and requiring heart transplant surgery.

The press conference was chaired by Lieutenant General Chien-Sung Tsai of the Military Medical Bureau. It was followed by Vice President Tsai Yi-ting and Dr. Lu Jung-chi from the Department of Rheumatology, Immunology, and Allergy, who explained a severe case of MIS-A in a patient with COVID-19, causing severe inflammation affecting multiple organs, particularly the brain and heart.

The case involved a 56-year-old woman surnamed Yeh who returned to Taiwan at the end of last year after overseas travel and was diagnosed with myocarditis. The medical team used a "biventricular assist device" to support her for 28 days, effectively extending the waiting time for a heart transplant. They successfully matched and transplanted a heart, marking Taiwan's first case of heart transplantation due to MIS-A.

Additionally, our hospital's Cardiovascular Surgery Department received certification from the manufacturer, establishing the first Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Excellence Center in Asia. This initiative aims to raise public awareness about the seriousness of multisystem inflammatory syndrome and to promote VAD technology and expertise to benefit more heart failure patients.

Lieutenant General Chien-Sung Tsai, Director of the Medical Affairs Bureau stated that Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-A), occurring primarily in adults and children, affects various organs of the body. The most severe manifestations involve the brain and heart, ranging from mild myocarditis to severe heart failure. The case shared today may be Taiwan's first heart transplant due to MIS-A, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness about the severity of MIS-A and promoting understanding among the public.