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Updated: May 25, 2026

Use of a Percutaneous Ventricular Assist Device/Left Atrium to Femoral Artery Bypass System for Cardiogenic Shock
Published on: August 16, 2021
Temporary mechanical circulatory support for Takotsubo cardiomyopathy secondary to primary mediastinal B-cell
Carla Zeballos1, Robert J Moraca, Stephen H Bailey
1The Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15212, USA.
Background:
Left heart mechanical circulatory support (MCS) through the left chest via the pulmonary vein and descending thoracic aorta is a good option for patients with an inaccessible anterior mediastinum and/or poor peripheral access.
Materials And Methods:
We report the case of a 19-year-old small female with a newly discovered bulky primary mediastinal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (PMBL) who developed refractory inverted Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) with cardiogenic shock.
Results:
Temporary MCS was implemented in order to stabilize the patient and proceed with a chemotherapy treatment. Given the patient's oncologic "frozen" mediastinum and the presence of poor peripheral arterial access, the left heart temporary MCS was successfully implanted through a left mini-thoracotomy via the left inferior pulmonary vein and descending thoracic aorta.
Conclusions:
This is the first report of temporary MCS to treat inverted TC and diffuse PMBL.
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