[Ventricular assist support of the failing heart after surgery with extracorporeal circulation]

To communicate our experience implanting ventricular assist devices; we report the incidence of refractory heart failure after extracorporeal circulatory support and discuss clinical course after support.

Retrospective study of 14 cases of ventricular assistance required when refractory heart failure developed after extracorporeal circulation. The patients were 10 males and 4 females aged between 12 and 70 years. Four underwent coronary revascularization, 2 required valve replacement, and 8 received heart transplants. Two left, 2 right and 6 bilateral ventricular assist devices were implanted.

The incidence of refractory heart failure after extracorporeal mechanical circulation requiring ventricular assist devices among our patients was 0.48%, with left ventricular failure occurring in 21.42%, right ventricular failure in 42.85% and biventricular failure in 35.71%. The main complications were infection, renal insufficiency, coagulation disorder, hemorrhage with repeated surgery. One patient received a second transplant. The device was successfully withdrawn from 35.7% of the patients. Survival upon discharge was 7.1%.

Refractory heart failure after extracorporeal circulation is a life-threatening event requiring rapid response and resolution. The decision to implant a ventricular assist device is a difficult one, requiring immediate assessment of the causes of heart failure, its reversibility and the possibility of performing a heart transplant. The study of large series of patients experiencing this event and implanted with ventricular assist devices would facilitate decision making.