title: Hemodynamic performance and inflammatory response during the use of VAD-InCor as a bridge to transplant.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiac transplantation faces the serious problem of lack of donors and it is estimated that 20 to 40% of the patients die while waiting for heart transplantation. For these patients, the use of mechanical circulatory assist devices is the only choice of survival while waiting for a donor. In Brazil, the experience with mechanical circulatory support is limited and there is no regular program regarding the use of these devices as a bridge to heart transplantation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the hemodynamic performance and the systemic inflammatory response during the clinical use of the InCor-type ventricular assist device (VAD-InCor) as a bridge to heart transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between October 2003 and April 2006, 11 patients in the waiting list for heart transplantation presented hemodynamic deterioration due to refractory cardiogenic shock. Seven of these patients were submitted to VAD-InCor implantation for left ventricular assistance. The etiologic diagnosis was Chagas' disease in 5 patients and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in 2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The duration of left ventricular assistance ranged from 14 to 42 days (mean 26.2 days). During this period, the hemodynamic performance of the DAV-InCor was adequate to support a normal hemodynamic state. There was normalization of central venous oxygen saturation and serum lactate. Two patients were submitted to heart transplantation, while the other 5 patients died under assistance due to infection and multiple organ failure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The performance of the VAD-InCor, in the hemodynamic behavior of the studied patients, was adequate for the maintenance of a satisfactory circulatory state during the studied period. There was improvement in the tissue perfusion parameters and maintenance of systemic inflammatory response signs. There was a high incidence of complications; however, complications related to the device, which could compromise the safety of its use, were not demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Instituto do Coração, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. galantier@terra.com.br
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Galantier
authors.forename: Luiz Felipe P
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Anderson
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benício
authors.forename: Adolfo A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Leirner
authors.forename: Idágene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cestari
authors.forename: Edmar A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Bocchi
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bacal
authors.forename: Noedir A G
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Stolf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D014850:Waiting Lists
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein