title: Successful use of the TandemHeart percutaneous ventricular assist device as a bridge to recovery for acute cellular rejection in a cardiac transplant patient.
abstract: In this report, we presented a patient who benefited from hemodynamic support with the TandemHeart percutaneous ventricular assist device (pVAD; Cardiac Assist, Inc) implantation in the setting of early acute graft rejection 2 months after orthotopic heart transplant. The TandemHeart initially had been used for temporary hemodynamic assistance during postcardiotomy heart failure and high-risk coronary interventions. More recently, its use in patients with cardiogenic shock from acute myocardial infarction, fulminant myocarditis, and critical aortic stenosis has been reported. To our knowledge, this is one of the first reported cases in which the TandemHeart pVAD served as a successful device for support during acute cardiac transplant rejection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology UTSW, Dallas, Texas 75390-9047, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Velez-Martinez
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dimaio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ewing
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Mishkin
authors.forename: P P A
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Mammen
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Drazner
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Markham
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Patel
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D020878:Device Removal; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013318:Stroke Volume; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left