Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39794842›Full record

ArticleJournal of cardiothoracic surgery2025

Left atrial appendage cannulation for left ventricular unloading in a patient with ventricular thrombus on extracorporeal life support.

Anne-Kristin Schaefer, Dominik Wiedemann, Gottfried Heinz, Julia Riebandt, Robert Zilberszac

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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cardiothoracic surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Anne-Kristin SchaeferDepartment of Cardiac and Thoracic Aortic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. anne-kristin.schaefer@meduniwien.ac.at.
Dominik WiedemannDepartment of Cardiac Surgery, Karl Landsteiner University, University Clinic St. Pölten, St. Pölten, Austria.
Gottfried HeinzDepartment of Internal Medicine II, Division of Cardiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Julia RiebandtDepartment of Cardiac and Thoracic Aortic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Robert ZilberszacDepartment of Internal Medicine II, Division of Cardiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLeft ventricular unloading is needed in patients on extracorporeal life support (ECLS) with severely impaired left ventricular contractility to avoid stasis and pulmonary congestion, and to promote LV recovery. The presence of thrombi in the LV precludes the use of conventional active unloading methods such as transaortic microaxial pumps or apical LV vents. We describe placement of a vent cannula via the left atrial appendage (LAA) as a useful bailout option. CASE PRESENTATION: A 61-year-old patient presenting with normotensive cardiogenic shock (SCAI C) after subacute anterior wall myocardial infarction deteriorated with pulmonary edema and ventricular fibrillation, requiring veno-arterial extracorporeal life support under ongoing CPR (SCAI E). An Impella CP was placed for LV unloading, but was unable to generate flow and was thus removed. A large left ventricular thrombus was detected as the cause for insufficient Impella flow. For urgent LV unloading, we placed a vent cannula via the LAA through a thoracotomy to bridge our patient to total artificial heart implantation. However, intraoperative TEE showed resolution of the LV thrombus, enabling to change the strategy to left ventricular assist device implantation only, which was performed successfully. Our patient made a full recovery and is now doing well in regular outpatient follow ups.

conclusionsECLS provides excellent circulatory support at the price of a high complication burden and considerable LV afterload increase. ECLS complications often require individualized solutions not represented in current heart failure guidelines. This patient has developed a dreaded and nearly always fatal ECLS complication, which was successfully managed with vent placement via the LAA.

Indexed as

Atrial AppendageCardiac CatheterizationExtracorporeal Membrane OxygenationHeart-Assist DevicesThrombosisHeart VentriclesHumansMaleMiddle AgedShock, CardiogenicCase reportExtracorporeal life supportExtracorporeal membrane oxygenationLV unloadingTemporary mechanical circulatory support

Identifiers

PMID39794842
PMCPMC11724518

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.