ASAIO journal : a peer-reviewed journal of the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs
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Recently, a percutaneous right ventricular assist device (RVAD) called the TandemLife Protek Duo (TPD; TandemLife, Pittsburgh, PA) has been introduced. The Protek Duo (TPD) is a temporary RVAD placed via the right internal jugular vein, capable of providing up to 4.5 L of flow. We report a two-center experience using the TPD in 17 patients with right ventricular (RV) failure, 12 of whom were post-left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation.
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Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is one of the most feared complications of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support. However, outcomes in this group have not been well described. We therefore sought to examine clinical outcomes in this patient population in comparison to those with heart failure (HF) and no LVAD, as well as those without HF or LVAD. ⋯ Although LVAD patients with ICH have worse clinical outcomes, the majority survived their event and nearly half were able to be discharged home. Left ventricular assist device patients also have a distinct pattern of bleeding with ICH. Additional study is required to understand risk factors for the development of ICH in this population and ideal management strategies.
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Our objective was to characterize sedation management in adult patients with severe respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) treated with venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO). We conducted a retrospective chart review of these patients treated at Toronto General Hospital between January 2012 and October 2015. Medications administered (sedative, analgesic, paralytic, and antipsychotic), sedation depth (Sedation Agitation Scale [SAS] score) delirium assessments, and mobilization were recorded daily. ⋯ During ECMO, 58% had positive delirium assessment and 24% experienced agitation (SAS ≥ 6). During ECMO support, 71% received physical therapy that occurred after a median of 7 days (IQR, 4-12) after cannulation. In conclusion, we found that although patients were deeply sedated for a prolonged duration after VV-ECMO initiation, many were able to safely achieve light sedation and active mobilization.