Off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery with a pulsatile catheter pump for left ventricular dysfunction

We describe the use of a novel device, the pulsatile catheter pump, in patients with left ventricular dysfunction undergoing off-pump coronary surgery. During a 1-year period, 14 patients (mean ejection fraction 28% +/- 8%) underwent off-pump coronary surgery using the pulsatile catheter pump. We recorded neither mortality nor major adverse cardiovascular and cerebral events. Mean support time was 55 +/- 13 minutes. The average flow generated by the pulsatile catheter pump, as calculated per patient, was 2.4 +/- 0.2 L/min (range, 2.2 to 2.8 L/min). Our results show that the pulsatile catheter pump is clinically safe and provides adequate mechanical circulatory support in patients with impaired left ventricular function undergoing off-pump coronary artery surgery.