Cardiopulmonary resuscitation of a cardiac arrest patient with left ventricular assist device in an out-of-hospital setting: A case report

RATIONALE

Despite increasing number of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, standardized cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) protocol for patients with LVAD, especially in out-of-hospital settings are not well known.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 41-year-old LVAD implanted man became cardiac arrest in an out-of-hospital setting. Bystander CPR was started and the patient was brought to our hospital without noticing LVAD. Upon arrival, the medical staff noted the LVAD and that the battery of the LVAD was exhausted.

DIAGNOSIS

Cardiac arrest on LVAD.

INTERVENTIONS

It took 50 minutes to change the battery, then the patient has become ventricular fibrillation; hence, we introduced extracorporeal membranous oxygenation and defibrillated the patient. After the sinus rhythm was restored, the LVAD started working uneventfully.

OUTCOMES

The patient became brain dead.

LESSONS

There are several difficulties in treating these patients. First, hemodynamic collapse is difficult to diagnose. Second, chest compression for LVAD implanted patients remains controversial. Third, education to first responders who are not familiar with LVAD are not enough. Appropriate education for those issues is needed.

Endovascular treatment for large vessel occlusion stroke in patients with ventricular assist devices

Background

Embolic stroke with large vessel occlusion (LVO) is a major adverse event during ventricular assist device (VAD) support. In this study we aimed to clarify the efficacy of, and problems associated with, endovascular treatment (EVT) of LVO in patients with VAD support.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed EVT for LVO in patients with VAD support between 2006 and 2017 at our institute and evaluated baseline characteristics, treatment variables, outcomes, and complications.

Results

The study cohort comprised 12 consecutive patients (age 35.4±20.4 years), with 15 LVO events involving 20 arterial occlusions, who had undergone EVT. The median Alberta Stroke Program Early CT score was 10 and good collaterals were observed in 10 of 17 occluded middle cerebral artery areas. No study patients had received intravenous thrombolysis therapy. EVT was performed on 18 of the 20 occluded arteries and mechanical thrombectomy on 13 vessels. The successful reperfusion (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction grade ≥2 b) rate was 67% in all EVTs and 85% with mechanical thrombectomy. Histological analysis showed fibrin-rich thrombi in four of five samples. Seven of 12 patients (58%) maintained their neurological function (modified Rankin Scale score ≤2 or equal to pre-stroke score) at 90 days. Periprocedural complications comprised two symptomatic intracranial hemorrhages and the 90-day mortality rate was 13%. Seven of 10 cardiac transplant candidates (70%) returned to the waiting list and three of them received transplants.

Conclusions

Endovascular therapy for acute LVO stroke is feasible even in patients with VAD support.

Clinical determinants of successful weaning from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in patients with fulminant myocarditis

Aims

Patients with fulminant myocarditis (FM) often present with cardiogenic shock and require mechanical circulatory support, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation. This study sought to clarify the determinants of successful weaning from ECMO in FM patients.

Methods and results

We studied 37 consecutive FM patients supported by ECMO as the initial form of mechanical circulatory support between January 1995 and December 2014 in our hospital. Twenty‐two (59%) patients were successfully weaned from ECMO, while 15 (41%) were not. There were significant differences in levels of peak creatine kinase and those of its MB isoform (CK‐MB), left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT), and prevalence of cardiac rhythm disturbances. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that a peak CK‐MB level of 185 IU/L and LVPWT of 11 mm were the optimal cut‐off values for predicting successful weaning from ECMO (areas under the curve, 0.89 and 0.85, respectively). During the follow‐up [median 48 (interquartile range 8–147) months], 83% of FM patients who were weaned from ECMO survived, with preserved fractional shortening based on echocardiography. Of the 15 FM patients who were not weaned from ECMO, nine bridged to VAD, and only two were successfully weaned from VAD and survived.

Conclusions

These results indicate that myocardial injury, as evidenced by CK‐MB and LVPWT, and prolonged presence of cardiac rhythm disturbances are important clinical determinants of successful weaning from ECMO.

Clinical Usefulness of Wearable Cardioverter Defibrillator (WCD) and Current Understanding of Its Clinical Indication in Japan

Prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) has become an important issue in today's cardiovascular field, together with various developments in secondary prevention of basic cardiac diseases. The importance of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is now widely accepted because it has exhibited significant improvement in patients' prognoses in ischemic and non-ischemic cardiovascular diseases. However, there is an unignorable gap between the ICD indication in the guidelines and real-world high-risk patients for SCD, especially in the acute recovery phase of cardiac injury. Although various studies have demonstrated a clinical benefit of defibrillation devices, the studies of immediate ICD use in the acute recovery phase have failed to exhibit a benefit in patients from the point of the view of a decrease in total deaths. To bridge this gap, the wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) provides a safer observation period in the acute phase and eliminates inappropriate overuse of ICD in the subacute phase. Here, we discuss the usefulness of the WCD and current understanding of its indications based on various clinical data. In conclusion, WCD is a feasible bridge to therapy and/or safe observation for patients at high risk of SCD, especially in the acute recovery phase of cardiac diseases.

Japanese registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support: First report

BACKGROUND

In Japan, ventricular assist devices (VADs) have been used for patients with severe heart failure as a bridge to transplantation (BTT) since 1992. However, it was not until 1997, when the Organ Transplant Law was enacted, that medical devices received approval by the national health insurance system for that use. To encourage research and development of innovative medical devices, the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency has established a public-private partnership in collaboration with academic societies, hospitals and manufacturers.

METHODS

The Japanese registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (J-MACS) is a prospective registry designed to be harmonized with the Interagency Registry of Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS). Participation in J-MACS is mandatory for device manufacturers to meet the conditions of approval as well as for hospitals to obtain authorization for reimbursement from the national health insurance system.

RESULTS

From June 2010 to April 2015, 476 patients were registered at 31 hospitals. Of these, analysis of primary VAD patients (n = 332) revealed that their overall 360-day survival was 91% (implantable 93%, extracorporeal 84%).

CONCLUSIONS

This initial report from J-MACS focuses on patients' demographics, device types, survival, competing outcomes, adverse events and successful examples of system failure detection.

Infectious diseases in solid organ transplant recipients: Analysis of autopsied cases in Japan

BACKGROUND

With the improvements in immunosuppressive agents and graft survival, infections such as mycoses have become major complications after solid organ transplantation (SOT).

METHODS

Our group has continuously updated an epidemiological database of visceral mycoses (VM) among autopsy cases in Japan since 1989. Data on infectious agents and clinical information were complied using similar procedures.

RESULTS

Among the all autopsied cases studied, 356 undergone SOT. Of these, 214 (60.1%) suffered from one or more types of infections, including 51 (14.3%) with VM. Thus, the incidence of VM was higher in SOT recipients than in non-transplanted cases (P < 0.0001). Aspergillus spp. (Asp) was the most predominant agent and Candida spp. was second. Specifically, among SOT recipients, Asp was the most predominant in liver and lung transplant recipients. Among the 217 autopsied liver transplants cases, the incidence of VM was highest in those with fulminant hepatitis (FH, P = 0.01). The incidence of cytomegalovirus infection tended to be higher in cases with mycosis (P = 0.06). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified FH (odds ratio, 3.61, 95% confidence interval 1.34-9.75; P = 0.03) as an independent risk factor for mycosis in liver transplant recipients.

CONCLUSION

This epidemiological analysis of autopsied cases provides a strong incentive to intensify efforts to diagnose and treat post-SOT infectious diseases.

Association of the Number of HLA-DR Mismatches With Early Post-transplant Acute Cellular Rejection Among Heart Transplantation Recipients: A Cohort Study in Japanese Population

BACKGROUND

Although many risk factors are reported about graft rejection after heart transplantation (HTx), the effect of HLA mismatch (MM) still remains unknown, especially in the Japanese population. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of HLA MM on graft rejection among HTx recipients in Japan.

METHODS

We retrospectively investigated the association of the number of HLA MM including class I (A, B) and class II (DR) (for each locus MM: 0 to 2, total MM: 0 to 6) and the incidence of moderate to severe acute cellular rejection (ACR) confirmed by endomyocardial biopsy (International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation grade ≥ 3A/2R) within 1 year after HTx.

RESULTS

Between 2007 and 2014, we had 49 HTx cases in our institute. After excluding those with insufficient data and positive donor-specific antigen, finally 35 patients were enrolled. Moderate to severe ACR was observed in 16 (45.7%) patients. The number of HLA-DR MM was significantly associated with the development of ACR (ACR+: 1.50 ± 0.63, ACR-: 1.11 ± 0.46, P = .029). From univariate analysis, DR MM = 2 was the only independent risk factor for ACR episodes (P = .017). The frequency of ACR within 1 year was significantly higher in those with DR MM = 2 (DR MM = 0 to 1: 0.3 ± 0.47, DR MM = 2: 1.17 ± 1.34 times, P = .007).

CONCLUSIONS

The number of HLA-DR MMs was associated with the development and recurrence of ACR episodes among HTx recipients within 1 year after transplantation in Japanese population.

Heart Transplantation in Asia

Heart transplantation (HTx) is the effective way to improve quality of life as well as survival in terminal heart failure (HF) patients. Since the first heart transplant in 1968 in Japan and in earnest in 1987 at Taiwan, HTx has been continuously increasing in Asia. Although the current percentage of heart transplants from Asia comprises only 5.7% of cases in the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) registry, the values were under-reported and soon will be greatly increased. HTx in Asia shows comparable with or even better results compared with ISHLT registry data. Several endemic infections, including type B hepatitis, tuberculosis, and cytomegalovirus, are unique aspects of HTx in Asia, and need special attention in transplant care. Although cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is considered as a leading cause of death after HTx globally, multiple observations suggest less prevalence and benign nature of CAV among Asian populations. Although there are many obstacles such as religion, social taboo or legal process, Asian countries will keep overcoming obstacles and broaden the field of HTx.

Heart Transplant in Asia

The prevalence of heart failure has increased in Asia. A significant proportion of patients with heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction end up with advanced heart failure or end-stage heart disease. These patients may be placed on the waiting list for heart transplant. There are more than 10 countries in Asia that have an active heart transplant program. The number of heart transplants performed is limited despite an increase in the number of patients with end-stage heart failure mainly because of donor shortage, which may be related to religious belief and inefficient allocation policy.

Early postoperative management of heart transplant recipients with current ventricular assist device support in Japan: experience from a single center

PURPOSE

This study reviews our experience with the perioperative management of heart transplant (HT) recipients and explores how prior ventricular assist device (VAD) support affects the requirements for postoperative mechanical ventilation and circulatory support.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A retrospective database review was performed from 2007 to 2014. Early postoperative outcomes were compared between VAD and non-VAD groups. Forty-four patients were studied. The mean age was 38 ± 13 years, 30% were female, and 88% experienced non-ischemic heart failure. Forty patients (91%) required VAD support at the time of HT, with a mean duration of 864 ± 351 days. The median postoperative mechanical ventilation times in the VAD and non-VAD groups were 54 [95% confidence interval (CI) 42.9-297.3] and 15 (95% CI 4.8-30.0; p = 0.0199) hours, respectively. The VAD group experienced increased bleeding during the first 48 h after HT (6.7 ± 3.5 vs. 1.8 ± 0.75 l, p = 0.004). Mechanical circulatory support with intra-aortic balloon pumping or venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was required in 30% of VAD group patients. Increased bleeding and primary graft failure were the main causes of prolonged mechanical ventilation.

CONCLUSIONS

HT recipients with VAD support required longer mechanical ventilation periods and mechanical circulatory support in the postoperative period.

Orthotropic heart transplantation for adult congenital heart disease: a case with heterotaxy and dextrocardia

A 41-year-old male with heterotaxy (left isomerism) and dextrocardia composed by single ventricle, absent inferior vena cava, bilateral superior vena cava (SVC), common atrioventricular valve has received orthotopic heart transplantation (HTx) after long waiting period as Status-1. Reconstructions of bilateral SVC and hepatic vein route were successful without use of prosthetic material, and the donor heart was placed in the left mediastinum. In spite of satisfactory early recovery, the patient expired 4 months after transplantation mainly from fungal infection which developed following humoral rejection. HTx for adult patients with complex congenital heart disease is demanding in technical as well as pre- and post-transplant management, and indication should be critically determined.