Mechanical bridge to recovery in fulminant myocarditis

A patient with acute fulminant lymphocytic myocarditis and cardiogenic shoc k was successfully treated by mechanical offloading of the left ventricle. A nonpulsatile left-heart bypass was undertaken with an implantable centrif ugal blood pump. Careful weaning resulted in device removal on the seventh day. Left and right ventricular function is sustained at 7 months. Widespre ad application of this method depends on the availability of an inexpensive user friendly blood pump, appropriate weaning protocols and emerging strat egies to promote sustainable myocardial recovery. (Ann Thorac Surg 2000;70: 278-83) (C) 2000 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.