Temporary mechanical circulatory support in heart transplant candidates

Abstract

Implantable left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) have become the leading method of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in heart transplant candidates. But the temporary MCS as a mechanical bridge to heart transplantation (HT) continues to use. The temporary MCS remains an effi ciency method of treatment of life-threatening heart failure (HF), when implantation of permanent LVAD or BiVAD is associated with high risk. The temporary MCS creates clinical and organizational conditions for the urgent HT. This approach allows not only to save life of heart transplant candidates, but also to improve the availability of the HT. The choice of the temporary MCS is determined by the type and severity of HF and the expected duration of its application. The review presents a characteristic, and discusses the effectiveness of various methods of temporary MCS at heart transplant candidates needed in urgent HT.

Keywords

• heart transplantation
• implantable left ventricular assist devices
• temporary mechanical circulatory support