The role of temporary mechanical circulatory support in de novo heart failure syndromes with cardiogenic shock:A contemporary review

Cardiogenic shock(CS)is a complex clinical syndrome with a high mortality rate.It can occur to due to multiple etiologies of cardiovascular disease and is phenotypically heterogeneous.Acute myocardial infarction-related CS(AMI-CS)has historically been the most prevalent cause,and thus,research and guidance have focused primarily on this.Recent data suggest that the burden of non-ischemic CS is increasing in the population of patents requiring intensive care admission.There is,however,a paucity of data and guidelines to inform the management of these patients who fall into two broad groups:those with existing heart failure and CS and those with no known history of heart failure who present with"de novo"CS.The use of temporary mechanical circulatory support(MCS)has expanded across all etiologies,despite its high cost,resource intensity,complication rates,and lack of high-quality outcome data.Herein,we discuss the currently available evidence on the role of MCS in the management of patients with de novo CS to include fulminant myocarditis,right ventricular(RV)failure,Takotsubo syndrome,post-partum cardiomyopathy,and CS due to valve lesions and other cardiomyopathies.

CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF 22 PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE MANAGED WITH MECHANICAL CIRCULATORY SUPPORT AFTER CARDIAC SURGERY

Objective To investigate the clinical outcomes of children with congenital heart disease （CHD） requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation （ECMO） and left ventricular assist device （LVAD） support after cardiac surgery. Methods A total of 22 patients with CHD who required postcardiotomy mechanical circulatory support between March 2004 and March 2011 （85 months ） were analyzed retrospectively. Median age of the patients was 420 d （ 15 d - 4 years） and median weight was 3.4 kg （ 2 - 14. 5 kg ）. Eight patients were put on ECMO, while 14 patients were placed on LVAD. Results Thirteen （59%） patients died and 9 （41% ） survived to discharge. In survivals, the duration of LVAD and the duration of ECMO were both shorter than those of nonsurvivals （P 〈 O. 05）. The main complication was bleeding. Conclusion The earlier treatment and application of more advanced cardiac support devices for CHD patients are key factors for reducing complications.

Optimal timing of same-admission orthotopic heart transplantation after left ventricular assist device implantation

AIM To investigate the impact of timing of same-admission orthotopic heart transplant(OHT) after left ventricular assist device(LVAD) implantation on in-hospital mortality and post-transplant length of stay.METHODS Using data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 1998 to 2011, we identified patients 18 years of age or older who underwent implantation of a LVAD and for whom the procedure date was available. We calculated in-hospital mortality for those patients who underwent OHT during the same admission as a function of time from LVAD to OHT, adjusting for age, sex, race, household income, and number of comorbid diagnoses. Finally, we analyzed the effect of time to OHT after LVAD implantation on the length of hospital stay post-transplant.RESULTS Two thousand and two hundred patients underwent implantation of a LVAD in this cohort. One hundred and sixty-four(7.5%) patients also underwent OHT duringthe same admission, which occurred on average 32 d(IQR 7.75-66 d) after LVAD implantation. Of patients who underwent OHT, patients who underwent transplantation within 7 d of LVAD implantation("early") experienced increased in-hospital mortality(26.8% vs 12.2%, P = 0.0483) compared to patients who underwent transplant after 8 d("late"). There was no statistically significant difference in age, sex, race, household income, or number of comorbid diagnoses between the early and late groups. Post-transplant length of stay after LVAD implantation was also not significantly different between patients who underwent early vs late OHT. CONCLUSION In this cohort of patients who received LVADs, the rate of in-hospital mortality after OHT was lower for patients who underwent late OHT(at least 8 d after LVAD implantation) compared to patients who underwent early OHT. Delayed timing of OHT after LVAD implantation did not correlate with longer hospital stays post-transplant.

Extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation in aortic surgery and dissection: A systematic review

BACKGROUND Very little is known about the role of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)for the management of patients undergoing major aortic surgery with particular reference to aortic dissection.AIM To review the available literature to determine if there was any evidence.METHODS A systematic literature search through PubMed and EMBASE was undertaken according to specific key words.RESULTS The search resulted in 29 publications relevant to the subject:1 brief communication,1 surgical technique report,1 invited commentary,1 retrospective case review,1 observational study,4 retrospective reviews,13 case reports and 7 conference abstracts.A total of 194 patients were included in these publications of whom 77 survived.CONCLUSION Although there is no compelling evidence for or against the use of ECMO in major aortic surgery or dissection,it is enough to justify its use in this patient population despite current adverse attitude.

To ventricular assist devices or not:When is implantation of a ventricular assist device appropriate in advanced ambulatory heart failure?

Advanced heart failure has been traditionally treated via either heart transplantation,continuous inotropes,consideration for hospice and more recently via left ventricular assist devices(LVAD).Heart transplantation has been limited by organ availability and the futility of other options has thrust LVAD therapy into the mainstream of therapy for end stage heart failure.Improvements in technology and survival combined with improvements in the quality of life have made LVADs a viable option for many patients suffering from heart failure.The question of when to implant these devices in those patients with advanced,yet still ambulatory heart failure remains a controversial topic.We discuss the current state of LVAD therapy and the risk vs benefit of these devices in the treatment of heart failure.

Perioperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in pediatric congenital heart disease:Chinese expert consensus

Background Congenital heart disease(CHD)is one of the main supportive diseases of extracorporeal membrane oxygena-tion in children.The management of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)for pediatric CHD faces more severe challenges due to the complex anatomical structure of the heart,special pathophysiology,perioperative complications and various concomitant malformations.The survival rate of ECMO for CHD was significantly lower than other classifica-tions of diseases according to the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization database.This expert consensus aims to improve the survival rate and reduce the morbidity of this patient population by standardizing the clinical strategy.Methods The editing group of this consensus gathered 11 well-known experts in pediatric cardiac surgery and ECMO field in China to develop clinical recommendations formulated on the basis of existing evidences and expert opinions.Results The primary concern of ECMO management in the perioperative period of CHD are patient selection,cannulation strategy,pump flow/ventilator parameters/vasoactive drug dosage setting,anticoagulation management,residual lesion screening,fluid and wound management and weaning or transition strategy.Prevention and treatment of complications of bleeding,thromboembolism and brain injury are emphatically discussed here.Special conditions of ECMO management related to the cardiovascular anatomy,haemodynamics and the surgical procedures of common complex CHD should be considered.Conclusions The consensus could provide a reference for patient selection,management and risk identification of periop-erative ECMO in children with CHD.

Pharmacological strategies in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation weaning failure: a call to action

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has emerged as a viable alternative for stabilizing and improving critically ill patients in acute cardiovascular diseases.However,the weaning stage has been associated with a high morbidity and mortality rate.This makes searching for strategies that reduce failure in this final process necessary.Implementing a new approach must be tried and included in our protocols,seeking the patient’s well-being at all times.In this article,the authors discuss their point of view regarding potential pharmacological alternatives and the mechanism of action involved,which could decrease the mortality associated with this therapeutic.

Status on Heart Transplantation in China

INTRODUCTION ＂End-stage heart disease＂ commonly refers to an irreversible stage of cardiac decompensation caused by a variety of pathologies that cannot be treated using conventional drugs or traditional surgical treatments. The life expectancy of patients with end-stage heart disease ranges from 〈6 months to 1 year. Therapeutic strategies for end-stage heart disease patients are primarily based on three approaches： Internal medicine therapy, surgical therapy （heart transplantation）, and multiple organ protection therapy via the core method of mechanical circulation assistance. Among these approaches, heart transplantation has become recognized as the most efl＇ective treatment.

Integrated management of cardiac failure:the cardiac failure clinic

The prevalence of the risk factors and the risk of cardiac failure are both increasing in China.This might be the consequence of the changes of the life conditions(emigration to the urban areas,changes in the diet and life style,lack of physical exercise,etc.).The wide range of clinical presentations of cardiac failure(acute or chronic)and of therapeutic approaches(medical or surgical)makes necessary the integration within the same structure of the various experts involved in the diagnosis and the treatment of cardiac diseases.Technologic and human resources required to offer all the options represent a multifaceted commitment which should be focused optimally in dedicated centers.In these centers,collaboration should replace competition between the medical and the surgical cardiac specialists.Development of team work should permit to optimize the cost efficacy of the treatments.Most of all,such a structure will facilitate the translation of innovative therapies between the research centers and clinical facilities.