title: Acute pulmonary injury with refractory hypoxaemia after implantation of Levitronix CentriMag ventricular assist device: successful treatment with veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
abstract: Although acute pulmonary injury after cardiopulmonary bypass has been detailed in the literature, it was seldom mentioned in the context of following implantation of a ventricular assist device. We report on a 65-year-old male with end-stage ischemic cardiomyopathy who underwent implantation of Levitronix CentriMag (Levitronix, Waltham, MA) for cardiac support and was listed for heart transplantation. Acute pulmonary injury with profound hypoxaemia was noted 6 h after the implantation. Despite optimal medical treatment and maximal ventilator support, refractory hypoxaemia persisted, and veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (oxygenator: Affinity-NT; centrifugal pump: BPX-80 Bio-Pump, Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA) was applied for ventilation support. The patient was weaned from the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation 4 days later and from the ventilator on the next 2 days. He underwent a successful orthotopic heart transplant after a total of 77 days on Levitronix left ventricular device cardiac support.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jia-Lin
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shih-Ying
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Po-Shun
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Chien-Sung
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Yi-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Chih-Yuan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Hong-Yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.forename: Yi-Chang
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D055370:Lung Injury / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male