• G Paolini, M Triggiani, G Di Credico, M Pocar, P Stefano, E Montorsi, F Simeone, G Paolillo, and A Grossi.
• Cardiovascular and Respiratory Diseases Institute, H.S. Raffaele University of Milan, Italy.
• Cardiovasc Surg. 1994 Oct 1; 2 (5): 630-3.

AbstractBetween January 1990 and September 1992, ten patients required assisted circulation for postcardiotomy heart failure which was unresponsive to inotropic drugs and aortic counterpulsation. All patients were supported by a Bio-Medicus centrifugal pump (biventricular assist in five, left ventricular in three, right ventricular in two); six had ischaemic heart disease, two a congenital ventricular septal defect, one an acute mitral valve incompetence and one an aortic type 'A' dissection. The mean duration of circulatory support was 5.1 days (range 2 hours to 8 days). Six patients were weaned from the device and four were discharged; the perioperative deaths among the patients weaned from support were the result of cerebral haemorrhage and multiorgan failure respectively. No late deaths occurred at a mean follow-up of 15 months. Common complications were bleeding (40%), acute renal failure (30%) and sepsis (30%). All patients who developed renal failure died. The high incidence of haemorrhagic complications makes the use of pre-heparinized circuits desirable as these patients do not then require additional anticoagulation.

43 keywords...

hide…