Levitronix ventricular assist devices as a bridge to recovery after profound biventricular heart failure associated with pulmonary aspergillosis.
A patient with multisystem organ failure and refractory cardiopulmonary shock stemming from Aspergillus pneumonia was treated with 2 Levitronix ventricular assist devices as a bridge-to-recovery. After ventricular assist device placement, the patient recovered myocardial function. The ventricular assist devices were removed on post-implant Day 7, and the patient made a full long-term recovery. Ventricular assist devices should be strongly considered, as bridges to recovery, to support patients with acute myocardial dysfunction associated with sepsis while the underlying infection is treated.
Whitson
Bryan A
BA
Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA. bwhit@umn.edu
D'Cunha
Jonathan
J
Knutsen
Amy C
AC
Boyle
Andrew J
AJ
Liao
Kenneth K
KK
D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000150:complications*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D020127:Recovery of Function