CLINICAL-EXPERIENCE WITH BIOMEDICUS CENTRIFUGAL VENTRICULAR SUPPORT IN 172 PATIENTS

One hundred and seventy-two patients at The Methodist Hospital in Hous ton, Texas, were placed on BioMedicus centrifugal ventricular support. One hundred thirty-nine patients were male and 33 were female with a mean age of 59.7 years. Reasons for support were postcardiotomy cardia c failure (129 patients), cardiac allograft failure (17 patients), bri dge to transplantation (IO patients), resuscitation (7 patients), post percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty emergent (2 patients), and other (7 patients). Support was by left ventricular assist device in 108 patients, right ventricular assist device in 20 patients, and b iventricular assist device in 44 patients. Eighty-four patients (48.8% ) were weaned from the ventricular assist device, and 88 patients (51. 2%) were not weaned. Thirty-four patients (20.0%) were discharged from the hospital, Complications included coagulopathy, renal insufficienc y/failure, respiratory insufficiency/failure, neurological deficits, s epsis, arrhythmias, and device-related complications. Overall causes o f death were ventricular failure (55.1%), triage (13.0%), arrhythmias (9.4%), graft failure (5.9%), coagulopathy (4.3%), sepsis syndrome (2. 9%), device-related (0.7%), and other (0.7%). BioMedicus centrifugal v entricular support can be implemented rapidly and easily. Device-relat ed complications are few (1.2%), and it is relatively inexpensive when compared with other ventricular assist systems. This series demonstra tes that a substantial number of patients may benefit from temporary c entrifugal ventricular support.