title: Left ventricular mechanical support with the Impella Recover left direct microaxial blood pump: a single-center experience.
abstract: The Impella Recover left direct (LD) is a new intravascular microaxial blood pump, intended as a short-term mechanical support especially in case of acutely reduced left ventricular function. From September 2002 to October 2004, Impella was used to support 12 patients: six patients were supported as bridge-to-heart transplant (HTx); three patients were treated for fulminant acute myocarditis, and three patients for postcardiotomy low-output syndrome. Mean support time was 8.8 +/- 2.3 days. Overall mortality was 50%. Four patients were successfully HTxed; two patients supported as bridge-to-HTx died on left ventricular assist device. Two patients with myocarditis died of septic shock; two patients in the group of postcardiotomy died of multiorgan failure. The latter two patients were slowly weaned from the device, and at 3-months follow-up showed good improvement of the left ventricular function. Our initial experience with Impella Recover LD as mechanical support for patients in cardiogenic shock of various etiology is promising, yielding a good survival in a population of particularly compromised patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department A. De Gasperis, Niguarda Ca'Granda Hospital, Milan, Italy. agaratti@tiscali.it
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garatti
authors.forename: Tiziano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lanfranconi
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Milazzo
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Catena
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bruschi
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frigerio
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vitali
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D016276:Ventricular Function