USE OF LEFT-VENTRICULAR ASSIST WITH THE HEMOPUMP(TM) IN CARDIAC-SURGERY

From July 1989 to May 1992 16 patients received circulatory support wi th a Hemopump(TM) assist device in the Department of Cardiac Surgery o f the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. The mean age of those patients w as 56 +/- 13 years (ranging from 23 to 72 years). The mean time of ass isted circulation was 60 +/- 46 h (ranging from 2 to 168 h). Group I c onsists of 13 patients who received the device after postcardiotomy ca rdiac failure (survival 38%). Group II includes 1 patient who received the pump prior to repair of a large postinfarction ventricular septal defect (survival 0%). Group III consists of 2 patients for whom the H emopump was used as a bridge to cardiac retransplantation. Both are st ill alive (survival 100%). If the 21-F Hemopump is implanted following a critical indication it can be used rather successfully for mechanic al circulatory support.