Levosimendan In Single Ventricle Heart Failure After Longterm Survival Of A Modified Blalock-Taussig Shunt

We report the case of a 44 year-old patient with complex ACHD, admitted with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) in hemodynamic profile B. He had a single ventricle with pulmonary atresia, previously submitted to three modified Blalock-Taussig shunts (mBTs) at the age of 2, 12 and 19 years old. Despite conventional treatment with diuretics, β-blockers (BB) and isosorbide dinitrate the patient progressed to profile C and the transthoracic echocardiogram disclosed a reduced systolic function. Likewise, levosimendan was commenced and an appropriate decongestion and a marked reduction in the NT-proBNP were seen. Treatment with angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor, BB, ivabradine and mineralocorticoid receptor was optimized. The patient was discharged home after 26 days in NYHA class III and referred for heart transplant after right heart catheterization. To our knowledge, this is the first report of successful levosimendan's use in ADHF in a mBTs long-term survivor.