title: Hemodynamic deterioration during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation weaning in a patient with a total artificial heart.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Total Artificial Heart (Syncardia, Tucson, AZ) is approved for use as a bridge-to-transplant or destination therapy in patients who have irreversible end-stage biventricular heart failure. We present a unique case, in which the inferior vena cava compression by a total artificial heart was initially masked for days by the concurrent placement of an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation cannula.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is the case of a 33-year-old man admitted to our institution with recurrent episodes of ventricular tachycardia requiring emergent total artificial heart and venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation placement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This interesting scenario highlights the importance for critical care physicians to have an understanding of exact anatomical localization of a total artificial heart, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and their potential interactions. In total artificial heart patients with hemodynamic compromise or reduced device filling, consideration should always be given to venous inflow compression, particularly in those with smaller body surface area. Transesophageal echocardiogram is a readily available diagnostic tool that must be considered standard of care, not only in the operating room but also in the ICU, when dealing with this complex subpopulation of cardiac patients.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Anesthesiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY. 2Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hosseinian
authors.forename: Matthew A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: Gregory W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Anelechi C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Anyanwu
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Torregrossa
authors.forename: Adam S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D006354:Heart, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000628:therapy*