[Anesthesiological management in transplantation of the heart after temporary mechanical substitution of its...

The first experience of anesthesiological management of three two-step orthotopic heart transplantations is reviewed. As the first step of surgical treatment one recipient was implanted an artificial heart "POISK-IOM" (Russia), in 2 other patients left ventricular bypass was achieved using a "Biopump" ("Biomedics", USA). Anesthesia techniques, methods of infusion-transfusion therapy, and other components of intraoperative management are described. Hemodynamics, donor heart function recovery, and other homeostasis parameters have been analysed. It has been noted that high doses of fentanyl in combination with ketamine and diazepam ensured satisfactory course of general anesthesia. There were no cases of intraoperative lethality. A more complex aspect of anesthesiological management was correction of various homeostasis disturbances which progressed during surgery in patients with left ventricular bypass. In two cases the intraoperative period was characterized by the onset of multiorgan failure (heart, respiratory, renal failure, metabolic disorders, coagulopathy), which played a negative part for the postoperative period of heart transplantations. It is concluded that prediction of possible complications during temporary mechanical replacement of the cardiac function and timely determination of contraindications for the second step of two-step heart transplantations are the most important trends of investigations for anesthesiologists, intensive care specialists, and transplantologists.