title: Extracorporeal life support as a bridge to high-urgency heart transplantation.
abstract: Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) represents an effective, emergent therapy for patients with end-stage heart failure or cardiac arrest. However, ECLS is typically not used as a bridge to heart transplantation because of the limited duration of ECLS. In France, high-urgency priority heart transplantation remains a possibility for transplant patients who are on ECLS. In this article, we present our experience with high-urgency priority heart transplantation after ECLS. From July 2004 to December 2009, 242 patients underwent emergent ECLS. Heart transplantation was performed in eight of these patients. Time of ECLS was 6.3 ± 4.6 d. Before heart transplantation, all patients on ECLS had decreased organ dysfunctions and four were conscious. Despite frequent post-operative complications, no death occurred during the first year after transplantation. In our experience, ECLS is a valid method of supporting patients awaiting high-urgency heart transplantation and can be used as a short-term bridge to heart transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Pole Cardiovasculaire et Thoracique, Clinique de Cardiologie, Hôpital A. Michallon, Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Emeline
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Durand
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heylbroeck
authors.forename: Marine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rossi-Blancher
authors.forename: Aude
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boignard
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vanzetto
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Albaladejo
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Chavanon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005112:Extracorporeal Circulation; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005602:France; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008021:Life Support Systems; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D012770:Shock, Cardiogenic / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult