Treatment of acute heart failure in an infant after cardiac surgery using levosimendan.
An infant, 2 months old, underwent cardiac surgery because of congenital heart defects and pulmonary hypertension. Surgery was performed in hypothermia and cardiac standstill. On the second day after surgery the infant had to be resuscitated due to a combination of acute left-ventricular failure, pulmonary vascular hypertension and a slight right-to-left-shunt. A breakthrough in the treatment was achieved by using levosimendan to improve left-ventricular function and to decrease vascular resistance.
Braun
Jan-Peter
JP
Department of Anesthesiology und Intensive Care, Charité University-Hospital, Humboldt University, Schumann Str. 20-21, Berlin D-10117, Germany. jan.braun@charite.de
Schneider
Martin
M
Kastrup
Marc
M
Liu
Jianshi
J
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D006835:Hydrazones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007223:Infant; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077464:Simendan
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D006835:Hydrazones; D011724:Pyridazines; D000077464:Simendan