Comparison of the use of hemodynamic support in patients ≥80 years versus patients <80 years during high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions (from the Multicenter PROTECT II Randomized Study)

Strategies for Reducing Vascular and Bleeding Risk for Percutaneous Left Ventricular Assist Device-supported High-risk Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

In patients at high risk for haemodynamic instability during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), practitioners are increasingly opting for prophylactic mechanical circulatory support, such as the Impella® heart pump (Abiomed, Danvers, MA, USA). Though Impella-supported high-risk PCI (HRPCI) ensures haemodynamic stability during the PCI procedure, access-related complication rates have varied significantly in published studies. Reported variability in complication rates relates to many factors, including anticoagulation practices, access and closure strategy, post-procedure care and variations in event definitions. This article aims to outline optimal strategies to minimize vascular and bleeding complications during Impella-supported HRPCI based on previously identified clinical, procedural and postprocedural risk factors. Practices to reduce complications include femoral skills training, standardized protocols to optimize access, closure, anticoagulation management and post-procedural care, as well as the application of techniques and technological advances. Protocols integrating these strategies to mitigate access-related bleeding and vascular complications for Impella-supported procedures can markedly limit vascular access risk as a barrier to appropriate large-bore mechanical circulatory support use in HRPCI.

Outcomes of bailout percutaneous ventricular assist device versus prophylactic strategy in patients undergoing nonemergent percutaneous coronary intervention

OBJECTIVES

To compare in-hospital outcomes of bailout support to prophylactic support with percutaneous ventricular assist devices (pVAD) for high-risk nonemergent percutaneous coronary intervention (HRPCI).

BACKGROUND

Prophylactic support with pVAD for a HRPCI is used in patients felt to be at risk for hemodynamic collapse during PCI. An alternative strategy of bailout pVAD support in the event of hemodynamic collapse is also entertained.

METHODS

We compared the outcomes of patients entered in the cVAD database who underwent Impella Protected PCI (ProPCI group) with patients from the cVAD and USpella databases receiving bailout Impella support for hemodynamic collapse during HRPCI (Bailout group).

RESULTS

A total of 1,028 patients supported with Impella pVAD were entered into the cVAD database as of July 2019 and were included in this analysis. Of those 971 were in the ProPCI group and 57 in the Bailout group. Patients in the Bailout group were more often female (50.9%vs. 27.2%, p = .0002) with higher median baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (40%vs. 30%, p < .0001) and with lower prevalence of both heart failure (42.1%vs. 56.9%, p = .0385) and left main disease (40.0%vs. 56.1%, p = .0250) compared to the ProPCI group. Unadjusted and adjusted in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the Bailout group (49.1%vs. 4.3%, and 57.8%vs. 4.4%, p < .0001 for both).

CONCLUSIONS

In our study population, the bailout group was associated with significant increased mortality compared to ProPCI group. Female gender was more frequently observed in patients requiring bailout pVAD. Further investigation is warranted in order to generalize the findings of our study.

The Role of Hemodynamic Support in High-risk Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Patients with advanced age, complex coronary anatomy, and multiple comorbidities are often unsuitable for surgical revascularization. In this setting, hemodynamic support devices are used as an adjunct to percutaneous coronary intervention to maintain hemodynamic stability and enable optimal revascularization. This article provides an overview of percutaneous hemodynamic support devices currently used in clinical practice for high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention. These include the intra-aortic balloon pump, centrifugal pumps (TandemHeart, venous arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), and micro-axial Impella pump. The hemodynamic effects, clinical evidence supporting improved outcomes and recovery of heart function, and associated complications with these devices are highlighted, with a special focus on Impella pumps.

Vascular complications associated with percutaneous left ventricular assist device placement: A 10-year US perspective

BACKGROUND

Over the last decade, there has been a significant increase in the use of percutaneous left ventricular assist devices(p-LVADs). p-LVADs are being increasingly used during complex coronary interventions and for acute cardiogenic shock. These large bore percutaneous devices have a higher risk of vascular complications. We examined the vascular complication rates from the use of p-LVAD in a national database.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary analysis of the National In-patient Sample (NIS) dataset from 2005 till 2015. We used the ICD-9-CM procedure codes 37.68 and 37.62 for p-LVAD placement regardless of indications. We investigated common vascular complications, defining them by the validated ICD 9 CM codes. χ² test and t test were used for categorical and continuous variables, respectively for comparison.

RESULTS

A total of 31,263 p-LVAD placements were identified during the period studied. A majority of patients were male (72.68%) and 64.44% were white. The overall incidence of vascular complications was 13.53%, out of which 56% required surgical treatment. Acute limb thromboembolism and bleeding requiring transfusion accounted for 27.6% and 21.8% of all vascular complications. Occurrence of a vascular complication was associated with significantly higher in-hospital mortality (37.77% vs. 29.95%, p < .001), length of stay (22.7 vs. 12.2 days, p < .001) and cost of hospitalization ($ 161,923 vs. $ 95,547, p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a high incidence of vascular complications with p-LVAD placement including need for vascular surgery. These complications are associated with a higher in-hospital, LOS and hospitalization costs. These findings should be factored into the decision-making for p-LVAD placement.

Ex-vivo percutaneous bypass: Limb perfusion in the setting of occlusive large bore sheath

Successful cardiac catheterization procedure begins with safe vascular access and ends with effective hemostasis after equipment removal. These new and advanced technologies in the cath lab require large-bore arterial accesses. Large-bore sheaths are associated with blood flow obstruction resulting in limb ischemia. In this case we present a 48-year-old woman was admitted NSTEMI and cardiogenic shock requiring mechanical circulatory support. Selective left common iliac angiography demonstrated obstructive flow at the level of the left CFA (access site). Therefore, ipsilateral bypass circuit was done. The current case illustrates the utility of a temporary ex-vivo bypass circuit to preserve limb perfusion in the presence of an occlusive large bore sheath. The technique permits sufficient hemodynamic support while maintaining limb perfusion and can be used for any occlusive large bore sheath.

Impella-protected PCI: the clinical results achieved so far

The ability of interventional cardiologists to identify high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients, requires the integration of different features belonging to medical history, organ damage, coronary anatomy and the nature of the acute event. The selection of a subgroup of patients that could benefit from mechanical support during interventions is a key feature to success. The introduction of the Impella percutaneous axial pump have added an easy-to-set-up, less invasive and time-consuming active-support device to the interventional toolbox. Up to date, only few (four) randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have tried to address the clinical efficacy of Impella assistance for the treatment of this very high-risk population, but several large registries and multiple observational studies have demonstrated its safety, feasibility and hemodynamic performance. Although the largest RCT (PROTECT II) have been prematurely stopped due to the risk of futility despite the evidence of more complete revascularization in the Impella arm, the need for an adequate operator's learning curve must be considered. More recent insights suggest an effect of the device in optimizing end-organ perfusion and improving crucial parameters like renal function. Furthermore, available data suggest that vary early Impella support may improve patient's outcome in case of cardiogenic shock.

Interventional Therapies for Heart Failure in Older Adults

Heart failure (HF) remains the leading cause of hospitalization in older adults and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality despite the use of guideline-directed medical therapy. There has been tremendous progress in the development of novel transcatheter and interventional therapies for HF over the past decade. The evolution of structural heart disease interventions and interventional HF has led to a multidisciplinary heart team approach in the management of HF patients. Careful selection of the appropriate patient population and end points in future randomized controlled trials will be crucial to demonstrate the potential efficacy of the novel interventional HF therapies.