Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membranes to wrap surfaces of circulatory support devices in patients undergoing bridge to heart transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
Because of a lack of donor hearts, an increasing number of patients with heart failure must now undergo bridge to cardiac transplantation with a mechanical circulatory support device. Moreover, support periods have become longer. As a result, pericardial adhesions may develop while the support device is implanted, increasing the risk of injury at resternotomy and bleeding after transplantation. Use of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) pericardial substitutes (membranes) may prevent such adhesions.


METHODS
From January 1997 to December 1999, ePTFE membranes were used in 23 patients to wrap portions of an implanted left ventricular assist device (LVAD) or total artificial heart (TAH). Any complications during mechanical support or at cardiac transplantation were recorded. Six ePTFE membranes removed at transplantation were studied histologically.


CONCLUSIONS
At resternotomy for transplantation, the plane of dissection between tissues, ePTFE membranes, and surfaces of the mechanical support device were easily discerned. No adhesions were observed between tissues and membranes. There were no injuries during resternotomy and no patient had to undergo reoperation because of bleeding. One patient given a TAH had an infection during circulatory support that was controlled by antibiotic therapy. In another patient, clots developed between the device and an ePTFE membrane; these were removed successfully. Histologic studies of removed ePTFE membranes showed no infiltration of the membranes interstices by collagen or cellular components. Use of ePTFE membranes in patients undergoing bridge to transplantation with either an LVAD or a TAH limited adhesions between tissues and device surfaces without increasing the risk of infection.
Service de Chirurgie Thoracique et Cardiovasculaire, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, 47-83 Bd de l'Hôpital, 75651 Cedex 13, Paris, France. pascal.leprince@psl.ap-hop-paris.fr
P
P
Leprince
M
M
Rahmati
N
N
Bonnet
V
V
Bors
A
A
Rama
P
P
Léger
I
I
Gandjbakhch
A
A
Pavie
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008875:Middle Aged; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013499:Surface Properties; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014850:Waiting Lists
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene