Single-centre experience with the Impella CP, 5.0 and RP in 109 consecutive patients with profound cardiogenic shock.

RATIONALE: Short-term mechanical circulatory support is increasingly used in the management of cardiogenic shock, but data from controlled studies are sparse. Thus, real-life data on complication rates and predictors of adverse outcome are important. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to analyse the experience with Impella devices in the management of profound cardiogenic shock. METHODS AND RESULTS: A retrospective study of 109 consecutive patients with severe shock after myocardial infarction, acute heart failure, or cardiac surgery. Possible device-related complications were registered and predictors of death while on Impella support and within 180 days were identified. In 79 patients (72%) cardiogenic shock was caused by myocardial infarction, acute heart failure in 16 (15%) and post-cardiotomy shock in 14 patients (13%). Thirty-five patients (32%) were comatose after cardiac arrest and in seven, the Impella was placed during chest compression. Mean age was 62±12 years, mean arterial pressure was 57±13 mmHg, pH 7.19±0.17 and lactate 7.5±5.7 mmol/l (range 1.8-30.0 mmol/l) at placement. During Impella therapy, 26 patients (28%) died among patients with myocardial infarction or acute heart failure. Of data available prior to placement lactate (hazard ratio 1.14, 95% confidence interval 1.04-1.25, P=0.004) was the only predictor of death on support. During support, five patients (5%) developed leg ischaemia requiring intervention. Bleeding from the Impella insertion site was seen in 14 patients (13%). CONCLUSION: Impella treatment is feasible in profound cardiogenic shock at an acceptable rate of complications. Despite an aggressive approach to restore cardiac output, mortality was high. Besides the severity of lactic acidosis there were no strong predictors of early death.

Embolisation of pheochromocytoma to stabilise and wean a patient in cardiogenic shock from emergency extracorporeal life support.

Pheochromocytoma is a catecholamine-secreting tumour associated with varying symptoms ranging from episodic headache, sweating, paroxysmal hypertension and tachycardia to intractable cardiogenic shock. Cardiogenic shock is rare but well-described and the timing of correct management is crucial since mortality is high. Fifty per cent of pheochromocytomas are diagnosed on autopsy. We report on a case of embolisation of the adrenal artery during ongoing extracorporeal life support (ECLS) in order to stabilise and wean the patient from ECLS as a bridge to final surgery.

[Mechanical circulatory support by means of a subclavian pump in a patient suffering acute heart failure].

A 65-year-old female patient suffered biventricular failure due to severe lymphoid myocarditis. Mechanical circulatory support was established with peripheral arterial-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (AV-ECMO). The left ventricle was relieved by subclavian Impella 5.0. AV-ECMO was weaned with the use of only Impella 5.0 until the 17th day of use, whereupon Impella was phased out. This case report illustrates the use-fulness of combined peripheral VA-ECMO with subclavian Impella 5.0 with the prospect of single use of the subclavian Impella 5.0 until cardiac recovery thereby avoiding central cannulation.

Optimal cut-off value for cardiac troponin I in ruling out Type 5 myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVES: The clinical classification of myocardial infarction (MI) into five types was introduced in 2007 as a component of the universal definition. A Type 5 MI was defined as a MI related to coronary artery bypass surgery. In a setting of patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting, we set out (i) to describe the pattern of multiple serial cardiac troponin I (cTnI) measurements within 72 h postoperatively and (ii) to determine the optimal cardiac troponin I cut-off value in ruling in or ruling out a Type 5 MI. METHODS: In 2011-2012, patients with two- and three-vessel disease scheduled for elective on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting were considered. Samples for cTnI were drawn before and 0, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after surgery. Analysis for cardiac troponin I was performed by use of the Abbott Architect c16000 system with an upper reference limit (URL) of 30 ng/l. The diagnosis of a Type 5 MI was prospectively made by a consultant cardiologist and was based on clinical, electrocardiographic and imaging data together with routine sampling and measurements of cTnI, but without knowledge of the results of serial study cTnI measurements. RESULTS: Of the 141 eligible patients, 99 (70%) qualified for final enrollment. In 8 patients (8%), the clinical diagnosis of a Type 5 MI was made. Patients without Type 5 MI (n = 91) had a median cTnI peak value of 7675 ng/l compared with 20 500 ng/l in Type 5 MI patients (P = 0.01). By use of receiver operating characteristic curves, optimal cut-off values for identifying Type 5 MI were defined as 7970 ng/l (corresponding to 266 times the URL) 12 h postoperatively and 9950 ng/l (corresponding to 331 times the URL) 24 h postoperatively. These cut-off values resulted in negative predictive values of 0.99 (12 h) and 0.99 (24 h). Positive predictive values were 0.23 (12 h) and 0.35 (24 h). CONCLUSIONS: In clinically stable patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting, measurements of cTnI are useful in ruling out a Type 5 MI.

[Bleeding or stent thrombosis in combination with drug-eluting stents]. / Blødning eller stent-trombose ved medicinafgivende stenter?

Prolonged antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel is mandatory after implantation of drug-eluting stents. Evidence to support recommendations as to whether or not the treatment should be discontinued before an operation is lacking. We describe two cases in which clopidogrel was discontinued preoperatively with severe consequences (one fatality). Awaiting scientific evidence, anaesthetists, surgeons and cardiologists should establish local treatment algorithms for the management of surgical patients with a drug-eluting stent.

[Uncontrollable bleeding in a patient with head trauma treated with blood component therapy guided by thromboelastography]. / Ukontrollabel blødning hos en patient med hovedtraume behandlet med blodkomponentterapi vejledt af tromboelastografi.

This is a case report concerning a patient with traumatic uncontrolled bleeding. The patient was admitted with a severe head injury and facial fractures. During neurosurgery, the bleeding became life-threatening and there was a request for recombinant factor VIIa therapy (NovoSeven). Before the treatment, thromboelastography was performed. This showed platelet insufficiency, and after infusion of platelets, the bleeding was under control and there was no longer a need for recombinant factor VIIa therapy. We therefore recommend thromboelastography to evaluate coagulation status before treatment with recombinant factor VIIa.