Emergency veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation with Levitronix centrifugal pump for bridging to earth ware left ventricular assist device implantation

Abstract

We report the case of a 37-year-old lady with idiopathic cardiomyopathy, New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class IV, who had emergency extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) implantation under cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation at intensive care unit (ICU). The patient was followed for two days to be certain about her neurocognitive status before birdging to patient long-term mechanical circulatory support. She had been weaned from all anesthetic medications, and her neurocognitive status was re-evaluated and she had left ventricular assist device implantation as bridge to heart transplantation. At postoperative month 10 she is waiting for a heart donor in good condition without any neurocognitive and motor dysfunction. We believe that short-term mechanical circulatory support therapy is life-saving in advanced heart failure patients whose neurologic status is uncertain. This therapy may allow time to bridge to heart transplantation and heart transplantation procedure.