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Automated low flow pump system for the treatment of refractory ascites: a single-center experience
M N Thomas1, G H Sauter2,3, A L Gerbes2,3
1Department of General, Visceral, Transplantation, Vascular and Thoracic Surgery, L.M., University of Munich, Campus Großhadern, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81375, München, Deutschland, Germany. michael.thomas@med.uni-muenchen.de.
Introduction:
Ascites is a common complication of liver cirrhosis and represents the main cause of hospitalization among patients with cirrhosis. First-line therapy for those patients is the use of diuretics and dietary sodium restriction. However, 10 % of patients per year become therapy refractory to diuretic treatment with the need of repeated high-volume paracentesis or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). For these patients, an automated pump system (Alfapump/Sequana Medical) was developed. Here, we describe our single-center experience of ten consecutively implanted pump systems.
Patients And Methods:
Between 08/13 and 11/14, ten Alfapump systems were implanted in patients with refractory ascites all suffering from liver cirrhosis. Those patients were treated as a bridge to transplant (4/10) or as an end-stage therapy (6/10). Median follow-up was 165 days (23-379 days).
Results:
Postimplant, the need of paracentesis could be markedly reduced to a mean of 0.45 (0-4/month) per month. In eight patients, paracentesis was not needed after implantation of the pump system. The median daily output volume was 1000 ml/day (450-2000 ml/day). Prerenal insufficiency was a recurrent complication in the postoperative period.
Discussion:
The Alfapump system is a useful system in the treatment of patients suffering from therapy refractory ascites. However, due to the high level of comorbidities, careful patient selection and postoperative monitoring are required.
