CLINICAL-EXPERIENCE WITH THE SARNS CENTRIFUGAL PUMP

Since October 1986, we have had expenience with 96 Sarns centrifugal p umps in 72 patients (pts). Heparinless left atrial to femoral artery o r aorta bypass was used in 14 pts undergoing surgery on the thoracic a orta with 13 survivors (93%). No paraplegia or device-related complica tions were observed. In 57 patients, the Sarns centrifugal pump was us ed as a univentricular (27 pts) or biventricular (30 pts) cardiac assi st device for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock. In these patients, car diac assist duration ranged from 2 to 434 h with a hospital survival r ate of 29% in those requiring left ventricular assist and 13% in those requiring biventricular assist. Although complications were ubiquitou s in this mortally ill patient population, in 5,235 pump-hours, no pum p thrombosis was observed. Hospital survivors followed for 4 months to 6 years have enjoyed an improved functional class. We conclude that t he Sarns centrifugal pump is an effective cardiac assist device when u sed to salvage patients otherwise unweanable from cardiopulmonary bypa ss. Partial left ventricular bypass using a centrifugal pump has becom e our procedure of choice for unloading the left ventricle and for mai ntenance of distal aortic perfusion pressure when performing surgery o n the thoracic aorta. This clinical experience with the Sarns centrifu gal pump appears to be similar to that reported with other centrifugal assist devices.