Rajamiyer Venkateswaran of Mythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, UK, discusses temporary mechanical circulatory support as a bridge to transplantation in cases of cardiogenic shock.
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Mechanical circulatory assistance
January 25, 2017
In a bold and very challenging move, thoracic surgeons at Toronto General Hospital (TGH) removed severely infected lungs from a dying mom, keeping her alive without them for six days, so that she could recover enough to receive a life-saving lung transplant.
January 13, 2017
With the everpresent question of potentially extending LVAD therapy to ambulatory patients with advanced heart failure, the authors--using a Markov model--projected the incremental cost-efffectiveness ratio (ICER) of DT LVADs in this population as compared to conventional medical therapy.
November 23, 2016
An institutional registry of ECMO patients was surveyed to determine predictors of survival among patients receiving ECMO in the presence of sepsis. Among 151 studied patients, pneumonia was the most common cause of sepsis. Mortality was predicted by advanced age, longer door-to ECMO times, gram-negative sepsis, and sepsis due to infections other t
October 13, 2016
This single-center study explored the relationship between spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) and the incidence of thromboembolism and CVA in 98 patients undergoing peripheral VA ECMO. Twenty-two percent of patients had SEC while they were on ECMO. Those exhibiting SEC had significantly higher rates of intracardiac thrombus (46% v.
September 19, 2016
It’s well known that VAD and ECMO are associated with bleeding and decreased platelet activity. This study investigated whether loss of platelet receptors occurred in 21 VAD patients and 20 ECMO patients.
August 28, 2016
Operative and postoperative factors' relationship to intermediate term neurodevelopment were assessed in patients who underwent cardiac surgery on bypass at age 9 mos or less using the Psychomotor Development Index (PMI) and the Mental Development Index (MDI). Lower PDI and MDI were associated with longer interoperative support time, with use of ECM
July 24, 2016
The authors, using 2 groups of patients, 32 ECMO and 53 non-ECMO, both with a diagnosis of ARDS, describe the two groups' severity of illness, medication regimen and use or nonuse of ECMO therapy.
July 18, 2016
A handy mini-textbook on ECMO
July 5, 2016
With the rapid expansion of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in various contexts (CVICU, in-hospital cardiac arrest (E-CPR) and the ED), the authors have provided a very nice overview of the general principles of MCS options and management to assist the broader healthcare team involved with these complex patients.