scholarly journals Commentary: Two sides of the same coin: Competing biventricular assist device outcomes from Pediatric Interagency Registry for Mechanical Circulatory Support data

2020 ◽  
Vol 160 (5) ◽  
pp. 1311-1312
Author(s):  
Jiyong Moon ◽  
Iki Adachi
Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 468
Author(s):  
Kyle D. Hope ◽  
Priya N. Bhat ◽  
William J. Dreyer ◽  
Barbara A. Elias ◽  
Jaime L. Jump ◽  
...  

Heart failure is a life-changing diagnosis for a child and their family. Pediatric patients with heart failure experience significant morbidity and frequent hospitalizations, and many require advanced therapies such as mechanical circulatory support and/or heart transplantation. Pediatric palliative care is an integral resource for the care of patients with heart failure along its continuum. This includes support during the grief of a new diagnosis in a child critically ill with decompensated heart failure, discussion of goals of care and the complexities of mechanical circulatory support, the pensive wait for heart transplantation, and symptom management and psychosocial support throughout the journey. In this article, we discuss the scope of pediatric palliative care in the realm of pediatric heart failure, ventricular assist device (VAD) support, and heart transplantation. We review the limited, albeit growing, literature in this field, with an added focus on difficult conversation and decision support surrounding re-transplantation, HF in young adults with congenital heart disease, the possibility of destination therapy VAD, and the grimmest decision of VAD de-activation.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Toru Kondo ◽  
Naoki Shibata ◽  
shingo kazama ◽  
Yuki Kimura ◽  
Hideo Oishi ◽  
...  

Background: In cardiogenic shock refractory to medical treatment, choosing and changing mechanical circulatory support to stabilize hemodynamics until cardiac recovery or next treatment is a strategic cornerstone for improving the outcome. We aimed to clarify the differences in treatment course and outcome between Impella 5.0 and extracorporeal left ventricular assist device (eLVAD) in patients with cardiogenic shock refractory to medical therapy or other mechanical circulatory support. Methods: We performed a retrospective medical record review of consecutive patients who were treated with Impella 5.0 or eLVAD as a bridge to decision (BTD) at our medical center from December 2011 to January 2020. Results: A total of 26 patients (median age 40 years, 16 males) were analyzed. Of seven patients managed with Impella 5.0, one patients used Impella CP and four patients used peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) before Impella 5.0 implantation. On the other hand, of 19 patients managed with eLVAD, 11 patients used VA-ECMO before eLVAD implantation. In patients managed with Impella 5.0, Impella 5.0 was removed successfully in two patients (29%) and four patients (71%) underwent the operation for durable LVAD. In patients managed with eLVAD, eLVAD was successfully removed in three patients (16%), nine patients (47%) required durable LVAD, and seven patients (37%) died during eLVAD management. The period between implantation of Impella 5.0 or eLVAD to durable LVAD surgery was significantly shorter with Impella 5.0 (58 [38 - 95] vs. 235 [126 - 318] days, p=0.001). During durable LVAD implantation, cardiopulmonary bypass time was significantly shorter and a significantly smaller amount of red blood cells transfusion was required with Impella 5.0 (149 [125 - 182] vs. 192 [170 - 250] minutes, p=0.042; 7.0 [5.0 - 9.5] vs. 15.0 [10.0- 2.0] units, p=0.019, respectively). There were 4 massive stroke events in eLVAD, but no massive stroke events in Impella 5.0. In Impella 5.0. Conclusions: Impella 5.0 facilitates smoother management as a BTD and reduces surgical invasiveness during durable LVAD implantation. Impella 5.0 would be a more effective option for success to cardiac recovery or next therapy than eLVAD.


Author(s):  
Madeleine L. Townsend ◽  
Sara Sadat-Hossieny ◽  
Samir Q. Latifi ◽  
Gerard Boyle ◽  
Alistair Phillips

We report the unique case of a 2-year-old male with severe heart failure requiring mechanical circulatory support with a left ventricular assist device, who developed adenovirus pneumonitis infection requiring veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support. He progressed to acute respiratory failure and refractory hypoxemia despite intubation with maximum respiratory support. The patient was placed on ECMO with improvement in lung function over four days with subsequent successful decannulation. During the ECMO run, anticoagulation required escalation given the increased circuit surface area. Patient has since recovered and undergone heart transplantation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Frankfurter ◽  
Micaela Molinero ◽  
Julie K.K. Vishram-Nielsen ◽  
Farid Foroutan ◽  
Susanna Mak ◽  
...  

Background: Right ventricular failure (RVF) is a cause of major morbidity and mortality after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. It is, therefore, integral to identify patients who may benefit from biventricular support early post-LVAD implantation. Our objective was to explore the performance of risk prediction models for RVF in adult patients undergoing LVAD implantation. Methods: A systematic search was performed on Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from inception until August 2019 for all relevant studies. Performance was assessed by discrimination (via C statistic) and calibration if reported. Study quality was assessed using the Prediction Model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool criteria. Results: After reviewing 3878 citations, 25 studies were included, featuring 20 distinctly derived models. Five models were derived from large multicenter cohorts: the European Registry for Patients With Mechanical Circulatory Support, Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support, Kormos, Pittsburgh Bayesian, and Mechanical Circulatory Support Research Network RVF models. Seventeen studies (68%) were conducted in cohorts implanted with continuous-flow LVADs exclusively. The definition of RVF as an outcome was heterogenous among models. Seven derived models (28%) were validated in at least 2 cohorts, reporting limited discrimination (C-statistic range, 0.53–0.65). Calibration was reported in only 3 studies and was variable. Conclusions: Existing RVF prediction models exhibit heterogeneous derivation and validation methodologies, varying definitions of RVF, and are mostly derived from single centers. Validation studies of these prediction models demonstrate poor-to-modest discrimination. Newer models are derived in cohorts implanted with continuous-flow LVADs exclusively and exhibit modest discrimination. Derivation of enhanced discriminatory models and their validations in multicenter cohorts is needed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jooli Han ◽  
Dennis Trumble

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a debilitating condition that afflicts tens of millions of people worldwide and is responsible for more deaths each year than all cancers combined. Because donor hearts for transplantation are in short supply, a safe and durable means of mechanical circulatory support could extend the lives and reduce the suffering of millions. But while the profusion of blood pumps available to clinicians in 2019 tend to work extremely well in the short term (hours to weeks/months), every long-term cardiac assist device on the market today is limited by the same two problems: infections caused by percutaneous drivelines and thrombotic events associated with the use of blood-contacting surfaces. A fundamental change in device design is needed to address both these problems and ultimately make a device that can support the heart indefinitely. Toward that end, several groups are currently developing devices without blood-contacting surfaces and/or extracorporeal power sources with the aim of providing a safe, tether-free means to support the failing heart over extended periods of time.


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