title: TandemHeart as a rescue therapy for patients with critical aortic valve stenosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We analyzed our use of the TandemHeart Percutaneous Ventricular Assist Device (Cardiac Assist Inc, Pittsburgh, PA) as a rescue therapy for patients with cardiac arrest or severe refractory cardiogenic shock (SRCS) before or after aortic valve replacement (AVR) for critical aortic valve stenosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the records of 10 patients (6 men; 4 women), aged 62 +/- 12 years, who presented with cardiac arrest or SRCS. Eight patients, 5 undergoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and 3 with SRCS, received TandemHeart support in the catheterization laboratory and had AVR after undergoing hemodynamic stabilization. The other 2 patients went directly to the operating room while undergoing CPR, for emergency AVR and received the device for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock. All 10 patients were intubated, on maximal vasopressor support, and 7 had an intraaortic balloon pump. The preoperative Society of Thoracic Surgeons mortality risk was 74.9% +/- 24.5%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 8 patients who received the TandemHeart in the catheterization laboratory were supported for 6.4 +/- 3.8 days and had significantly improved renal function before AVR. One patient died of sepsis 34 days after AVR, The other 7 were discharged home (ejection fraction, 0.42 +/- 0.14) and were alive 2 to 43 months later. The 2 patients who received the device in the operating room after AVR died on days 8 and 21, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prompt placement of the TandemHeart in these critically ill patients yields the shortest "emergency department door to left ventricular unloading time," improves end-organ function, and allows AVR to be performed electively.
authors.affiliation: Center for Cardiac Support, Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Houston, Texas 77225-0345, USA. epongratz@heart.thi.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Igor D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Gregoric
authors.forename: Pranav
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loyalka
authors.forename: Rajko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Radovancevic
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jovic
authors.forename: O H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Frazier
authors.forename: Biswajit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kar
mesh_terms: D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000628:therapy*; D016638:Critical Illness; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome