title: First use of the TandemHeart percutaneous left ventricular assist device as a short-term bridge to cardiac transplantation.
abstract: Advanced heart failure may be refractory despite aggressive support with inotropic agents and intra-aortic balloon pumping. Implantable left ventricular assist devices are increasingly being used as bridges to cardiac transplantation or as destination therapy because of the limited availability of donor organs. We report the 1st use of the TandemHeart percutaneous ventricular assist device as a short-term bridge to cardiac transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiopulmonary Transplantation, Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Saverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: La Francesca
authors.forename: Nanthini
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Palanichamy
authors.forename: Biswajit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kar
authors.forename: Igor D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Gregoric
mesh_terms: D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D007423:Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D012770:Shock, Cardiogenic / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*