title: [Fulminant myocarditis successfully treated with a left ventricular assist device: a case report].
abstract: A previously healthy 28-year-old woman was admitted under a diagnosis of acute myocarditis. Six hours after admission, circulatory support using intraaortic balloon pumping and percutaneous cardiopulmonary support were introduced, because uncontrollable ventricular arrhythmia appeared unexpectedly. Subsequently, decreased peripheral platelet count appeared, in spite of improved hemodynamics. Therefore, a left ventricular assist device was implanted and she was weaned from the percutaneous cardiopulmonary support. On the fifth postoperative day, she was successfully weaned from the left ventricular assist device with full recovery of myocardial function. Myocardial biopsy demonstrated the appearance of acute viral myocarditis. This case suggests that the left ventricular assist device might offer effective circulatory support for acute fulminant myocarditis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Yokohama Rosai Hospital, Kozukue-machi 3211, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 222-0036.
authors.forename: Katsuhito
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Konishi
authors.forename: Mutsumu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukata
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Furukawa
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Usui
authors.forename: Ken-ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005112:Extracorporeal Circulation; D005260:Female; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D007423:Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*