Ventricular assist device support for management of sustained ventricular arrhythmias. Tex Heart Inst J 2002;29(1):33-6
Date
05/09/2002Pubmed ID
11995847Pubmed Central ID
PMC101266Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0036237685 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 24 CitationsAbstract
We describe herein the cases of 2 patients who had ventricular arrhythmias. In one, a short-term biventricular assist device, the ABIOMED BVS 5000, was placed because the patient had sustained ventricular tachycardia and could not be weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass. Excellent hemodynamic support was maintained for several days while the antiarrhythmic therapy was maximized. Sinus rhythm was restored, and the patient was successfully weaned from the ventricular assist device. However, the substrate for the arrhythmia persisted, and a recurrence, 1 week later, resulted in the patient's death. In the 2nd patient, the use of an implantable left ventricular assist device was successful in temporarily alleviating the ventricular tachycardia associated with ischemic cardiomyopathy. However, after 2 days of device assistance, the patient experienced a recurrence of the tachycardia, which degenerated into ventricular fibrillation with a marked deterioration in the patient's hemodynamics. The arrhythmia persisted despite multiple attempts at external cardioversion, and internal cardioversion and placement of an automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator were necessary. This treatment, along with repeated boluses of amiodarone, led to successful suppression of the arrhythmias, and the patient eventually underwent transplantation. The mechanical hemodynamic support of the circulation by ventricular assist devices was effective in supporting these 2 patients who had sustained ventricular arrhythmias.
Author List
Fasseas P, Kutalek SP, Samuels FL, Holmes EC, Samuels LEAuthor
Panayotis Fasseas MD Associate Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
FemaleHeart-Assist Devices
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Stroke Volume
Tachycardia, Ventricular
Treatment Outcome
Ventricular Fibrillation
