Long-term survival using intra-aortic balloon pump and percutaneous right ventricular assist device for biventricular mechanical support of cardiogenic shock.

Right ventricular (RV) involvement in acute inferior left ventricular (LV) myocardial infarction increases the risks of cardiogenic shock and in-hospital mortality. Acutely impaired RV performance results in reduced LV preload and, in combination with impaired LV contractility, causes severely reduced LV stroke volume and cardiac output. Here we report long-term patient survival after acute biventricular myocardial infarction (MI) using simultaneous RV support with a TandemHeart percutaneous ventricular assist device (Cardiac Assist Technologies, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) and LV support with an intra-aortic balloon pump. Further evaluation of completely percutaneous biventricular support in acute MI is warranted.