ECPELLA as a bridge-to-decision in refractory cardiogenic shock: a single-centre experience.

BACKGROUND: In refractory cardiogenic shock, temporary mechanical support (tMCS) may be crucial for maintaining tissue perfusion and oxygen delivery. tMCS can serve as a bridge-to-decision to assess eligibility for left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation or heart transplantation, or as a bridge-to-recovery. ECPELLA is a novel tMCS configuration combining venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation with Impella. The present study presents the clinical parameters, outcomes, and complications of patients supported with ECPELLA. METHODS: All patients supported with ECPELLA at University Medical Centre Utrecht between December 2020 and August 2023 were included. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality, and secondary outcomes were LVAD implantation/heart transplantation and safety outcomes. RESULTS: Twenty patients with an average age of 51 years, and of whom 70% were males, were included. Causes of cardiogenic shock were acute heart failure (due to acute coronary syndrome, myocarditis, or after cardiac surgery) or chronic heart failure, respectively 70 and 30% of cases. The median duration of ECPELLA support was 164 h (interquartile range 98-210). In 50% of cases, a permanent LVAD was implanted. Cardiac recovery within 30 days was seen in 30% of cases and 30-day mortality rate was 20%. ECPELLA support was associated with major bleeding (40%), haemolysis (25%), vascular complications (30%), kidney failure requiring replacement therapy (50%), and Impella failure requiring extraction (15%). CONCLUSION: ECPELLA can be successfully used as a bridge to LVAD implantation or as a bridge-to-recovery in patients with refractory cardiogenic shock. Despite a significant number of complications, 30-day mortality was lower than observed in previous cohorts.

Evidence of myocardial scarring and microvascular obstruction on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in a series of patients presenting with myocardial infarction without obstructed coronary arteries.

Patients with acute chest pain, electrocardiographic ST-elevation and significant elevation of cardiac troponin but without obstructive coronary artery disease represent a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) can elucidate underlying alternative causes of troponin elevation including detection of (minor) myocardial infarction (MI) by identifying myocardial scarring as delayed enhancement. Of 77 patients, who were admitted between March 2009 and December 2012 with electrocardiographic (ECG) and biochemical evidence of acute MI without obstructive coronary artery disease, 45 patients underwent CMR that showed in 11/77 (14%) late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), compatible with myocardial scarring. We analyzed clinical, echocardiographic, and CMR data of these patients. Elevated troponin I levels were observed in all patients (median 1.3 ng/l, IQR 0.44-187) with median peak creatinine phosphokinase of 485 U/l (IQR 234-618). Echocardiographic wall motion abnormalities were detected in 8/11 (73%) patients; in 75% of these segments, ECG abnormalities were observed in corresponding leads. CMR detected LGE in the inferior (4/11), the inferolateral (5/11), the inferoseptal (2/11), the anterior (3/11), apical (3/11) and in the lateral segments (2/11). In addition, in all but two patients, these segments matched ECG abnormalities in corresponding leads. CMR identified microvascular obstruction in 4/11 (36%) patients. Patients with clinical, ECG, and biochemical signs of acute MI but unobstructed coronary arteries may have CMR-detectable myocardial scars. Information on myocardial scarring may help to make the diagnosis and draw therapeutic consequences. This case series underlines the value of contrast-enhanced CMR for myocardial tissue characterization.

Rare prosthesis failure after aortic valve replacement with a Freedom Solo.

We report an unusual case of a 78-year-old man readmitted to our Cardiac Surgery Division due to a severe regurgitation of the stentless bioprosthesis Freedom Solo implanted, strictly following the manufacturer's recommendations, approximately six months before for aortic stenosis of native valve. Although different possible etiologies may be determined for the subacute aortic regurgitation of a bioprosthesis, a partial adhesion of a leaflet to the aortic wall represents an exceptional event. The device was explanted, a new different bioprosthesis model was implanted and the patient recovered uneventfully. But no evidence of aortic or leaflet vegetations suggesting for abscess was found, neither atheromatous or calcified plaques, nor signs of inflammation of the aortic wall were detected. In the end, it is believed that the cause of the cuspal adhesion to the aortic sinus was primary tissue failure.

Delayed cardiac tamponade in a patient with previous minor blunt chest trauma.

Hemopericardium with cardiac tamponade after non-penetrating chest trauma is a very rare but life-threatening condition. If this complication develops after an interval of several weeks following the non-penetrating chest trauma, the causal relation with the traumatic event is less evident, which may delay proper diagnosis and adequate treatment. We describe diagnosing and therapeutic management of a patient in shock who suffered from cardiac tamponade four weeks after a minor blunt chest trauma.