title: Temporary left ventricular assistance for extreme postoperative heart failure in two infants with Bland-White-Garland syndrome.
abstract: Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (Bland-White-Garland syndrome - BWG) is a serious congenital cardiac anomaly leading to myocardial ischemia with severe heart failure. Immediate surgical correction is the treatment of choice, and the risk of postoperative complications depends on the degree of myocardial injury. The authors present two cases of infants with BWG, in whom long-term (175 and 26 days) left ventricular assistance with a Berlin Heart device was used, resulting in successful weaning from the support and subsequent hospital discharge. Because of serious hemorrhagic complications and their neurological consequences observed in the first patient, the anticoagulation protocol was modified in the second patient, providing more stable support and allowing the device to be removed after a shorter period of time. The Berlin Heart left ventricular assist device may be treated not only as a bridge for transplantation but also, considering the shortage of donors in this age group, as a bridge to recovery.
authors: Clinical Department of Cardiac Anesthesia and Intensive Care, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Zabrze, Poland.
authors: Ewa K
authors: EK
authors: Urbańska
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery and Transplantation, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Zabrze, Poland.
authors: Szymon
authors: S
authors: Pawlak
authors: Clinical Department of Cardiac Anesthesia and Intensive Care, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Zabrze, Poland.
authors: Adam
authors: A
authors: Grzybowski
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery and Transplantation, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Zabrze, Poland.
authors: Joanna
authors: J
authors: Śliwka
authors: Department of Cardiology, Congenital Heart Diseases, and Electrotherapy with the Division of Pediatric Cardiology, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Zabrze, Poland.
authors: Jarosław
authors: J
authors: Rycaj
authors: Department of Cardiology, Congenital Heart Diseases, and Electrotherapy with the Division of Pediatric Cardiology, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Zabrze, Poland.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Obersztyn-Zawiślan
authors: Department of Cardiology, Congenital Heart Diseases, and Electrotherapy with the Division of Pediatric Cardiology, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Zabrze, Poland.
authors: Arkadiusz
authors: A
authors: Wierzyk
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery and Transplantation, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Zabrze, Poland.
authors: Roman
authors: R
authors: Przybylski
keywords: Bland-White-Garland syndrome; infant; intensive care; left ventricular assist device