A randomized comparison of intra-aortic balloon pumping after primary coronary angioplasty in high risk patients with acute myocardial infarction. (1/283)

AIMS: Intra-aortic balloon pumping reduces afterload and may be effective in improving reperfusion in high risk infarct patients treated with primary angioplasty. METHODS: High risk infarct patients referred from other centres for primary PTCA were randomized to treatment with or without an intra-aortic balloon pump. The primary end-point consisted of the combination of death, non-fatal reinfarction, stroke or an ejection fraction <30% at the 6 month follow-up. A weighted unsatisfactory outcome score (as previously described by Braunwald), enzymatic infarct size and left ventricular ejection fraction were secondary end-points. RESULTS: During a 3.5 year period, 238 patients were randomized, 118 to intra-aortic balloon pump therapy and 120 to no intra-aortic balloon pump therapy. Cross-over (25% in the intra-aortic balloon pump group and 31% in the no-intra-aortic balloon pump group) occurred in both treatment arms. The primary end-point was reached in 31 (26%) patients assigned to an intra-aortic balloon pump and in 31 (26%) assigned to no intra-aortic balloon pump (P=0.94). Enzymatic infarct size (LDHQ72) was calculated in 163 (68%) patients and was not significantly different between either group (intra-aortic balloon pump: 1616+/-1148, no intra-aortic balloon pump: 1608+/-1163). The left ventricular ejection fraction was measured at the 6 month follow-up in 168 patients (80% of patients alive). No difference in ejection fraction was found in either group (intra-aortic balloon pump: 42+/-13%, no intra-aortic balloon pump: 40+/-14%, P=0.51). Major complications occurred in 8% of patients treated with an intra-aortic balloon pump. CONCLUSIONS: Systematic use of intra-aortic balloon pumping after primary angioplasty does not lead to myocardial salvage or to a better clinical outcome in high-risk infarct patients. Use of intra-aortic balloon pumping after primary PTCA for acute myocardial infarction should be reserved for patients with severe haemodynamic compromise.  (+info)

Intraaortic balloon pumping assist following open heart surgery for coronary artery disease. (2/283)

Intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) assist was employed in 36 patients after surgical operation for coronary artery disease. In 31 patients, the aid of IABP was required because cardiopulmonary bypass could not be terminated without it. In three of these patients, IABP assist was started before the surgical procedure because these patients were in cardiogenic shock due to myocardial infarction. In the remaining five patients, IABP assist was applied for refractory cardiogenic shock in the early postoperative period. The overall survival rate was 58 percent. IABP assist was used in 13 patients with an ejection fraction of 0.1 to 0.2 (normal 0.7). Nine of these patients survived. From our experience, it would appear that this temporary mechanical circulatory support provides a significant advantage in saving patients who might otherwise die after surgical procedures involving the coronary artery.  (+info)

Early revascularization in acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock. SHOCK Investigators. Should We Emergently Revascularize Occluded Coronaries for Cardiogenic Shock. (3/283)

BACKGROUND: The leading cause of death in patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction is cardiogenic shock. We conducted a randomized trial to evaluate early revascularization in patients with cardiogenic shock. METHODS: Patients with shock due to left ventricular failure complicating myocardial infarction were randomly assigned to emergency revascularization (152 patients) or initial medical stabilization (150 patients). Revascularization was accomplished by either coronary-artery bypass grafting or angioplasty. Intraaortic balloon counterpulsation was performed in 86 percent of the patients in both groups. The primary end point was mortality from all causes at 30 days. Six-month survival was a secondary end point. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 66+/-10 years, 32 percent were women and 55 percent were transferred from other hospitals. The median time to the onset of shock was 5.6 hours after infarction, and most infarcts were anterior in location. Ninety-seven percent of the patients assigned to revascularization underwent early coronary angiography, and 87 percent underwent revascularization; only 2.7 percent of the patients assigned to medical therapy crossed over to early revascularization without clinical indication. Overall mortality at 30 days did not differ significantly between the revascularization and medical-therapy groups (46.7 percent and 56.0 percent, respectively; difference, -9.3 percent; 95 percent confidence interval for the difference, -20.5 to 1.9 percent; P=0.11). Six-month mortality was lower in the revascularization group than in the medical-therapy group (50.3 percent vs. 63.1 percent, P=0.027). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with cardiogenic shock, emergency revascularization did not significantly reduce overall mortality at 30 days. However, after six months there was a significant survival benefit. Early revascularization should be strongly considered for patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock.  (+info)

Right ventricular infarction with cardiogenic shock treated with percutaneous cardiopulmonary support: a case report. (4/283)

A patient with a right ventricular infarction was resuscitated with percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS), after attempts at reperfusion, high-dose inotropic support and intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation failed to improve the hemodynamic compromise. Emergency PCPS improved the cardiogenic shock and the reduced right ventricular load, allowing the ischemic right ventricle to recover in the setting of unsuccessful reperfusion. This case demonstrates the use of PCPS as a hemodynamic support device for spontaneous recovery of the ischemic right ventricle. PCPS may be a potential therapy for patients with right ventricular infarction.  (+info)

Transesophageal echocardiographic imaging workshop: a basic transverse plane examination sequence. (5/283)

This workshop describes a 10-step sequence of transverse plane two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiographic views of the heart and great vessels that constitutes a basic standardized examination capable of being performed by a beginning practitioner.  (+info)

Expanded indications for ultrasound-guided thrombin injection of pseudoaneurysms. (6/283)

PURPOSE: We previously reported preliminary data on a new procedure that we developed for the treatment of femoral pseudoaneurysms after catheterization. This study presents our current results of percutaneous ultrasound-guided thrombin injection for treating pseudoaneurysms that arise from various locations and causes. METHODS: Between February 1996 and May 1999, we performed thrombin injection of 83 pseudoaneurysms in 82 patients. There were 74 femoral pseudoaneurysms: 60 from cardiac catheterization (36 interventional), seven from peripheral arteriography (four interventional), five from intra-aortic balloon pumps, and two from dialysis catheters. There were nine other pseudoaneurysms: five brachial (two cardiac catheterization, two gunshot wounds, one after removal of an infected arteriovenous graft), one subclavian (central venous catheter insertion), one radial (arterial line), and one distal superficial femoral and one posterior tibial (both after blunt trauma). Twenty-nine pseudo-aneurysms were injected while on therapeutic anticoagulation. Patients underwent repeat ultrasound examination within 5 days and after 4 weeks. RESULTS: Eighty-two of 83 pseudoaneurysms had initial successful treatment by this technique, including 28 of 29 in patients who were undergoing anticoagulation therapy. The only complication was thrombosis of a distal brachial artery, which resolved spontaneously. There were early recurrences in seven patients: four patients underwent successful reinjection; reinjection failed in two patients, who underwent surgical repair; and one patient had spontaneous thrombosis on follow-up. After 4 weeks, ultrasound examinations were completely normal or showed some residual hematoma, and there were no recurrent pseudoaneurysms. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided thrombin injection of pseudoaneurysms has excellent results, which support its widespread use as the primary treatment for this common problem.  (+info)

Surgical revascularization for acute total occlusion of left main coronary artery. (7/283)

We report our experience with emergency surgical revascularization in 3 patients who were in cardiogenic shock as a result of acute total occlusion of the left main coronary artery. Because they were in profound shock, 2 patients required mechanical support with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation before the operation. Another patient was given moderate inotropic support and treated with an intraaortic balloon pump before surgery, because he had a dominant right coronary artery with extensive collateral circulation to the left coronary artery. All 3 patients underwent surgical revascularization within 20 hours of acute occlusion. Two patients survived, although 1 of them required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support for 5 days postoperatively. The 3rd patient, despite successful weaning from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation immediately after coronary revascularization, died of hypoxic encephalopathy due to prolonged preoperative resuscitation. Immediate surgical revascularization was an effective treatment in our 3 patients who were in cardiogenic shock due to acute total occlusion of the left main coronary artery. Such factors as abundant collateral vessels from the right coronary artery to the left coronary artery, complete surgical revascularization within 20 hours of acute occlusion, and mechanical circulatory support were deemed important to recovery of left ventricular function. Two of our 3 patients survived.  (+info)

Appropriate indications for the use of a percutaneous cardiopulmonary support system in cases with cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction. (8/283)

Percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS) is now available for hemodynamic support in patients with cardiogenic shock, but there are no guidelines for its use. The present study determined the appropriate indications for the use of the PCPS in patients with cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Sixty-four consecutive patients with cardiogenic shock complicating AMI had hemodynamic support with an intraaortic balloon pump (IABP; n=38) and/or PCPS (n=26). The shock score (0-15) was calculated immediately before starting these support systems to quantify the severity of shock. Multivariate logistic regression analysis determined the clinical factors affecting in-hospital mortality. The relationship between in-hospital prognosis and the shock score was also examined in the 2 groups. The most significant factor related to the in-hospital prognosis was the shock score (p=0.0007; OR 2.16, 95% CI: 1.37-3.39). Another related factor was revascularization; however, this relationship did not reach statistical significance (p=0.069; OR 0.06). Among the 13 cases whose shock score was 4-8 (moderate shock), 5 survived in the PCPS group, but only 1 of 19 patients survived in the IABP group (p<0.05). None of the patients in either group whose shock score was more than 9 survived. The severity of shock is the most reliable independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock complicating AMI. Using PCPS in patients with moderate cardiogenic shock may improve their in-hospital survival, but it must be used before the shock becomes severe.  (+info)