Use of Tandem Heart as a temporary hemodynamic support option for severe pulmonary artery hypertension complicated by cardiogenic shock.

The TandemHeart is a recently-introduced percutaneous ventricular assist device that may be used for short-term hemodynamic support. Its utility has been shown for assisting the left ventricle in a variety of high-risk percutaneous interventions, in helping the left ventricle recover from myocarditis, in cardiomyopathies and in cardiogenic shock following acute coronary syndromes. Limited data exist on its applications in patients with right ventricular failure. We report our experience, possibly the first human case description, of a patient in cardiogenic shock secondary to severe pulmonary artery hypertension where the TandemHeart was used as a short-term hemodynamic support tool.