Mechanical bridge to recovery in fulminant myocarditis.
Westaby S., Katsumata T., Pigott D., Jin XY., Saatvedt K., Horton M., Clark RE.
A patient with acute fulminant lymphocytic myocarditis and cardiogenic shock was successfully treated by mechanical off loading of the left ventricle. A nonpulsatile left-heart bypass was undertaken with an implantable centrifugal blood pump. Careful weaning resulted in device removal on the seventh day. Left and right ventricular function is sustained at 7 months. Widespread application of this method depends on the availability of an inexpensive user friendly blood pump, appropriate weaning protocols and emerging strategies to promote sustainable myocardial recovery.