Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Utilizing Percutaneous Ventricular Assist Devices in Acute Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock
Published on: June 12, 2021
Ventricular assistance with microaxial flow pump following mitral repair for dilated cardiomyopathy
F Onorati1, L Cristodoro, F Borrello
1Cardiac Surgery Unit, University Magna Graecia, Catanzaro - Italy. frankono@libero.it
Background:
Postcardiotomy heart failure is still the main cause of death in patients undergoing palliative surgery for end-stage dilative cardiomyopathy. New micro-axial flow ventricular assisting devices (LVAD) have been suggested in such cases.
Objective:
Evaluate the effect of the new LVAD on short-term outcome of a patient admitted for end-stage heart failure.
Study Design:
Case report.
Data Sources:
One patient admitted for severe mitral regurgitation secondary to end-stage dilative cardiomyopathy and chronic atrial fibrillation (AF).
Intervention:
Preoperative intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) insertion, mitral plasty with radiofrequency ablation of AF, microaxial flow LVAD support.
Results:
The patient was unweanable from cardiopulmonary bypass until microaxial flow LVAD unloaded the left ventricle and restored adequate cardiac function. The patient was discharged home and is still well at 5 months folllow-up.
Conclusions:
The miniinvasive insertion and withdrawal, low anticoagulation protocols, and the possibility of coupling with IABP make the microaxial flow LVAD promising for patients with end-stage heart failure undergoing surgery.
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