7 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH THE CENTRIFUGAL PUMP IN PATIENTS WITH CARDIOGENIC-SHOCK

From September 1987 to September 1994 61 patients between 29 and 78 ye ars of age received mechanical circulatory support by means of the Bio medicus centrifugal pump. The patients were divided into three groups by indication: Group I included 15 patients with early postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock and 24 patients with late postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock, Group II 11 patients with therapy-resistant cardiogenic shock following acute myocardial infarction, and Group III 11 patients with cardiogenic shock of other etiologies. Duration of support was 1 to 34 7 hours. Survival rates were 46.7% and 33.3% in patients with early an d late postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock, respectively (Group I), 27.2% in Group II, and 18.1% in Group III. Most frequent complications were bleed ing (40%, 58%) and acute renal failure (26.7%, 29.2%) in Group I and multiple organ failure in Groups II and III (64% and 45.5%). Maj or causes of death were bleeding and multiple organ failure in Group I (37.5%) and multiple organ failure in Groups II and III (87.5% and 50 %).