Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube in a Syncardia™ Total Artificial Heart

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 014
Author(s):  
Amit Prasad ◽  
Kai Singbartl ◽  
Jacqueline Boone ◽  
Behzad Soleimani ◽  
Mohamad Zeriouh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy ◽  
Nutritional Support ◽  
Artificial Heart ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Total Artificial Heart ◽  
Ventricular Assist Devices ◽  
Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube ◽  
Left Ventricular Assist Devices ◽  
Bridge To Transplant ◽  
Endoscopic Gastrostomy

As a bridge to transplant, the Syncardia™ total artificial heart (TAH) is an option for patients who are not candidates for left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) due to right ventricular failure. The need for nutritional support in these patients is essential for a favorable outcome. Low body mass indexes and albumin levels have been associated with increased morbidity and mortality in cardiac surgery patients [Alverdy 2003]. It is not uncommon for postoperative patients to have difficulty in consuming enough calories after surgery, which is further complicated by a hypermetabolic demand due to surgical stress. Enteral nutrition has typically been favored for gut mucosal integrity and bacterial flora [Alverdy 2003] [Engleman 1999]. We describe the need for prolonged enteral nutritional support in a TAH patient that was accomplished with a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube.

Non-Cardiac Symptoms of Moderate to Severe Hypokalemia in a Patient with a Syncardia™ Total Artificial Heart

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amit Prasad ◽  
Ali Ghodsizad ◽  
Walter Pae ◽  
Kai Singbartl ◽  
Jacqueline Boone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Heart ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Total Artificial Heart ◽  
Ventricular Assist Devices ◽  
Left Ventricular Assist Devices ◽  
Ventricular Assist ◽  
Body Experience ◽  
Bridge To Transplant ◽  
Cardiac Symptoms ◽  
Potassium Replacement

<p>The Syncardia™ total artificial heart (TAH) is an option for patients as a bridge to transplant in those who are not candidates for left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) due to right ventricular failure. Postoperative course is highly dependent on volume status and aggressive diuresis is often necessary. One complication from aggressive diuresis is hypokalemia; however, in these patients we tolerate a lower potassium level because cardiac arrhythmias are not a concern.  However, in two separate instances non-cardiac symptoms related to severe hypokalemia occurred. These symptoms included nystagmus in one patient and agitation, tremors, and having an “out-of-body” experience in the other patient. Both these patients had resolution of symptoms with potassium replacement.</p>

Safety of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube placement in patients with continuous-flow ventricular assist devices

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 1012-1015
Author(s):  
Hesam Keshmiri ◽  
Tariq Yousuf ◽  
Rasha Issa ◽  
Sudha Kurien ◽  
Roeglio Silva
Keyword(s):  
Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Ventricular Assist Devices ◽  
Tube Placement ◽  
Left Ventricular Assist Devices ◽  
Ventricular Assist ◽  
Assist Devices ◽  
Endoscopic Gastrostomy ◽  
Left Ventricular Assist ◽  
Peg Tube

In this retrospective study, the safety of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement was evaluated as maintaining adequate nutritional support for patients with left ventricular assist devices is crucial. Nineteen patients who underwent PEG tube placement were followed for an average of 40 days. Overall, minor complications such as infections, bleeding, and PEG tube malposition occurred in just 19% of patients while the rate of major complications such as perforation was 5%. Further randomized control trials are necessary to validate this assertion that the safety of PEG placement in patients with left ventricular assist devices is similar to that of the general population.

Abstract 225: Frequency and Assessment of Poor Global Outcome in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy J Fendler ◽  
Michael E Nassif ◽  
Kevin F Kennedy ◽  
John A Spertus ◽  
Shane J LaRue ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Nyha Class ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Advanced Heart Failure ◽  
Ventricular Assist Devices ◽  
Left Ventricular Assist Devices ◽  
Ventricular Assist ◽  
Bridge To Transplant ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Left Ventricular Assist

Background: Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy can improve survival and quality of life in advanced heart failure (HF), but some patients may still do poorly after LVAD. Understanding the likelihood of experiencing poorer outcomes after LVAD can better inform patients and calibrate their expectations. Methods: We analyzed patients receiving LVAD therapy from January 2012 to October 2013 at a single, high-volume, high-acuity center. We defined a poor global outcome at 1 year after LVAD as the occurrence of death, disabling stroke (precluding transplant), poor patient-reported health status (most recent KCCQ at 3, 6, or 12 months < 45, corresponding to NYHA class IV), or recurrent HF (≥2 HF readmissions post-implant). We compared characteristics of those with and without poor global outcome. Results: Among 164 LVAD recipients who had 1-year outcomes data, mean age was 56, 76.7% were white, 20.9% were female, and 85.9% were INTERMACS Profile 1 or 2 (cardiogenic shock or declining despite inotropes). Poor global outcome occurred in 58 (35.4%) patients at 1 year, of whom 37 (63.8%) died, 17 (29.3%) had a most recent KCCQ score < 45, 3 (5.2%) had ≥2 HF readmissions, and 1 (1.7%) had a disabling stroke (Figure). Eight of the patients who died also experienced one of the three other poor outcomes prior to death. Patients who experienced a poor global outcome were more likely to be designated for destination therapy (46.4% vs. 23.6%, p=0.01) than bridge to transplant, have longer index admissions (median [IQR]: 39 [24, 57] days vs. 25 [18, 35] days, p=0.003), and have major GI bleeding (44.2% vs. 27.7%, p=0.056), and were less likely to undergo LVAD exchange (0% vs. 12.3%, p=0.004). Conclusion: In this large, single-center study assessing global outcome after LVAD implantation, we found that about a third of all patients had experienced a poor global outcome at 1 year. While LVAD therapy remains life-saving and the standard of care for many patients with advanced heart failure, these findings could help guide discussions with eligible patients and families. Future work should compare patients’ pre-LVAD expectations with likely outcomes and create risk models to estimate the probability of poorer outcomes for individual patients using pre-procedural factors.

Abstract 18639: Implantable Cardioverter-defibrillator Use is Associated With Improved Survival on the Waitlist for Heart Transplantation: A UNOS/ OPTN Registry Analysis of 36,397 Patients

Circulation ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kairav Vakil ◽  
Rebecca Cogswell ◽  
Sue Duval ◽  
Wayne Levy ◽  
Peter Eckman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Transplantation ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Total Artificial Heart ◽  
Ventricular Assist Devices ◽  
Left Ventricular Assist Devices ◽  
Cox Regression Analysis ◽  
End Stage ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Waitlist Mortality

Background: Current guidelines do not support routine use of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) in patients (pts) with end-stage heart failure (HF), unless these pts are awaiting advanced HF therapies such as left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) or a heart transplantation (HT). Whether ICDs improve survival in end-stage HF pts awaiting HT has not been previously examined in a large, multicenter cohort. Hypothesis: Presence of ICDs at time of listing for HT is associated with lower waitlist mortality. Methods: The United Network for Organ Sharing registry was used to identify adults (≥18 years) listed for HT between January 4, 1999 & September 30, 2014. Pts with congenital heart disease, total artificial heart, restrictive cardiomyopathy, prior HT, or missing covariates were excluded. Cox regression analysis was used to assess the impact of an ICD at the time of listing on waitlist mortality. Results: The analysis included 36,397 pts (mean age 53±12; 77% males) listed for HT. The prevalence of ICDs at listing has steadily increased over time before reaching a plateau in 2006 (27% in 1999, and range 76-82% between 2006-2014). In the unadjusted model, ICD use was associated with a 36% reduction in waitlist mortality (HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.60-0.68, p<0.001). After adjustment for covariates such as age, sex, race, creatinine, ischemic cardiomyopathy, and listing status, this association was nearly unchanged (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.62-0.72, p<0.001). Test for interaction by listing era (pre- and post-2006) was non-significant (p=0.28). In the final adjusted model, that included listing era and LVAD status in addition to the above listed covariates, ICD use continued to remain associated with a mortality benefit on the waitlist for HT (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.78-0.91, p<0.001). Conclusion: ICDs are increasingly prevalent in pts listed for HT; however many pts are still listed for HT without these devices. The presence of an ICD at the time of listing is associated with lower mortality on the waitlist. Although the magnitude of ICD efficacy diminishes slightly, its benefit continues to remain significant even after adjustment for listing era and LVAD use. Further analyses are required to identify specific sub-groups of pts where ICD use is most beneficial and appropriate.

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