title: The TandemHeart pVAD in the treatment of acute fulminant myocarditis.
abstract: Acute fulminant myocarditis commonly manifests itself as severe, rapidly progressive hemodynamic deterioration and circulatory collapse that may be resistant to high doses of inotropic agents and steroids and to mechanical support by intra-aortic balloon pump. Acute myocarditis has a high mortality rate and may necessitate heart transplantation. The best short-term therapy available to support the patient may be a percutaneous left ventricular assist device. One such unit, the TandemHeart percutaneous ventricular assist device, can enable patients to recover in a few days. Two of our patients who experienced profound, therapy-resistant heart failure arising from acute myocarditis were successfully supported by the TandemHeart. To the best of our knowledge, these are the 1st reported cases in which the TandemHeart percutaneous ventricular assist device served as a bridge to recovery from acute fulminant myocarditis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Division of Heart Failure/Cardiac Transplantation, Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. wkhalife@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Wissam I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Khalife
authors.forename: Biswajit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kar
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002303:Cardiac Output, Low / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012770:Shock, Cardiogenic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left