Prolonged veno-arterial extracorporeal life support for cardiac failure.

CONCLUSION: Prolonged veno-arterial extracorporeal life support for cardiac failure is feasible with low technical complication rates. Survival rates are acceptable, yet inferior to short-term support. We observed a shift from initial shock-related complications to infections during prolonged support. Since recovery and thus weaning is rather unlikely after a prolonged need for extracorporeal life support, this form of support should be limited to centers offering the full spectrum of interdisciplinary cardiac care including ventricular assist device implantation and transplantation. PMID: 29896993 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: The International Journal of Artificial Organs - Category: Transplant Surgery Authors: Tags: Int J Artif Organs Source Type: research