Impella 5.0 as a Bridge-To Bridge Option after Extracorporeal Life Support. Lessons Learned from the First 15 Cases

Abstract

Cardiogenic shock carries a high risk for mortality despite various treatment options. Initial treatment using peripheral veno-arterial extracorporeal life support (ECLS) has shown to improve survival in patients in need of biventricular and lung failure, but is associated with bleeding, ischemic and infectious complications. The catheter based surgically implanted transaortic axial flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) Impella 5.0 (Abiomed) seems to be a less invasive but equivalent hemodynamic alternative if right ventricular function allows switching from ECMO to Impella 5.0 to reduce peripheral ECLS associated complications.