Coronary hemodynamics during hemopump left-intraventricular assistance

Hemopump left intraventricular pumping (HP) can permit percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTCA) in high-risk patients. Benefits may be related to left ventricular unloading or myocardial perfusion improvement, or both. Direct ultrasonic measurements of coronary blood flow were made in the dilated vessel after a successful PTCA in five patients. A 3 Fr intracoronary Doppler catheter was placed in the coronary artery to measure flow velocities (maximal or diastolic velocity; minimum or systolic velocity and mean velocity). A SwanGanz catheter was used to measure the cardiac index and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. Mean aortic pressures were monitored through an 8 Fr guiding catheter. Measurements were made after a 5-min period of minimal speed (T0) of the HP to avoid retrograde regurgitation through the turbine; during the increase from minimum to maximal speed (T1); after a 5-min period of maximal HP flow (3l/min) (T2) and after HP was pulled back (T3). From T0 to T2, cardiac index rose from 1.93 +/- 0.38 to 3.26 +/- 0.35 l/min/m2 and capillary wedge pressure decreased from 18 +/- 6 to 13 +/- 5 mmHg (p less than 0.05); from T2 to T3, cardiac index decreased to 2.4 +/- 0.4 while capillary wedge pressure increased to 17 +/- 5 (p less than 0.05). Mean arterial pressure and heart rate did not change significantly throughout the study. When the hemopump flow was raised to high speed, coronary blood flow increased immediately but returned shortly to baseline values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)