Mechanical circulatory assistance after heart transplantation.

Results with mechanical circulatory assistance for the treatment of profound cardiopulmonary failure after conventional heart surgery have been encouraging. Its usefulness after heart transplantation is not known. Since August 1982, eight patients (of 59 transplant patients) have required support 0 to 48 hours (mean, 19.5 hours) after transplantation. The ages of the patients ranged from 7 days to 52 years (mean, 28.4 years). Underlying recipient heart disease was ischemic in three patients, congenital in two, cardiomyopathic in two, and rheumatic in one patient. Preoperative North American Transplant Coordinators Organization (NATCO) classification was status 9 in one patient (on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation [ECMO]), status 1 in five patients, and status 3 in two patients. Reasons for graft failure, although usually multifactorial, were primarily pulmonary hypertension with right ventricular failure in five patients and pneumonia, hyperacute rejection, and fat embolus in one patient each. In three patients, there was a mismatch in graft size (too small in two adults and too large in one neonate). Graft ischemic times ranged from 75 to 229 minutes (mean, 171 minutes). Two patients received mechanical support with an intra-aortic balloon (IAB), three with ECMO, and three with a right ventricular assist device (RVAD). One of the patients on ECMO and two of the patients with an RVAD also had IABs. Duration of support ranged from 4 hours to 8 days (mean, 3.2 days). Initial hemodynamic stability was achieved in all patients. Complications were common, including sepsis in seven patients and kidney failure in five patients. Only three patients were weaned. One patient with pulmonary hypertension, who was treated with ECMO, died 36 hours after being weaned.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)