Use of a Prosthetic Ventricle as a Bridge to Cardiac Transplantation for Postinfarction Cardiogenic Shock

Abstract

The use of an artificial heart as a bridge to cardiac transplantation was first reported in 1969, in a patient who could not be weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass.1 Since then, the intraaortic balloon pump has been used successfully for partial cardiac assistance before transplantation,2 but little published information is available about the temporary use of univentricular or biventricular prosthetic hearts to provide time to procure a donor heart.3 4 5 6 We report the successful use of a prosthetic left ventricle as a bridge to transplantation in a 47-year-old man in cardiogenic shock after massive acute myocardial infarction. At one year the patient . . .