Improvement of survival rate in patients with cardiogenic shock by using nonpulsatile and pulsatile ventricular assist device.

Between January 1988 and January 1992, 65 patients (pts) had a ventricle assist device (VAD) inserted in our clinic. In 24 pts a VAD was applied because of primarily unsuccessful weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass (Group A). In a further 24 pts (Group B) a VAD was installed for the therapy of refractive cardiogenic shock (CS) after initially successful cardiac surgery (n = 21) and after acute myocardial infarction (n = 3). Twelve pts were bridged to heart transplantation (Group C) and five had a VAD inserted for various other reasons (Group D). In 36 (55.4%) of the total 65 pts a nonpulsatile VAD (Biomedicus 540) was used: 10 in Group A; 20 in B, 3 in C and 3 in D. In 29 pts (44.6%) a pulsatile VAD (Abiomed BVS 5000) was used: 14 in Group A, 4 in B, 9 in C and 2 in D. Weaning rate and long-term survival rates were 50% and 46% respectively in Group A and 38% and 42% in Group B. Seven pts from Group C were transplanted and six are long-term survivors. Two pts (40%) in Group D were discharged from hospital. Major postoperative complications were bleeding (46%), thromboembolism (14%), multiple organ failure (11%), renal failure (11%), arterial embolism (4.6%), sepsis (3%). The results indicate that application of a VAD can be recommended in pts with postcardiotomy CS to allow recovery of cardiac function and in pts with irreversible ventricular damage as bridging to HTX.