Percutaneous cardiopulmonary support system as a bridge to left ventricular assist system (LVAS) implantation: Analysis of its role in the treatment of end-stage cardiac disease

Abstract

The key to the successful implantation of a left ventricular assist system (LVAS) for patients with endstage cardiac disease is whether the functions of other vital organs are irreversibly damaged or not. The percutaneous cardiopulmonary support system (PCPS) is not only equal in convenience to the intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), it is more powerful in resuscitating impaired end-organ function. To investigate the efficacy of PCPS for end-state cardiac disease, we retrospectively analyzed end-organ function before and after the application of PCPS. From 1992 to 1996, five cardiomyopathy patients with deteriorated end-organ function despite the application of IABP underwent PCPS support before implantation of LVAS. Urine volume and levels of liver enzymes (sAST and sALT) and serum creatinine were determined before and after the application of PCPS. After the application of PCPS, the urine output increased significantly (1840±450 to 4340±470 ml/day,P<0.01) and levels of sAST, sALT, and serum creatinine decreased significantly (630±220 to 150±50IU/l, 630±260 to 260±130IU/l, and 2.9±0.5 to 1.2±0.1 mg/dl, respectively) (P<0.05). All five patients were successfully bridged to LVAS implantation and none of them died of multiple organ failure caused by pre-existing cardiac failure although one out of five patients died on device ultimately. These results indicated that PCPS before LVAS implantation is useful to resuscitate impaired end-organ function and to improve the survival rate of LVAS implantation for end-stage cardiac disease.