Author/Editor		Gregorič, Igor D; Patel, Vijay; Radovančević, Rajko; Bracey, Artur W; Radovančević, Branislav; Frazier, OH
Title		Pulmonary microthrombi during left ventricular assist device implantation
Type		članek
Source		Tex Heart Inst J
Vol. and No.		Letnik 32, št. 2
Publication year		2005
Volume		str. 228-31
Language		eng
Abstract		Critically ill heart failure patients undergoing left ventricular assist device implantation have alterations in their coagulation profiles; as a result, hemorrhagic complications during the postoperative period are the most common and serious problems during device support of these patients. The use of aprotinin therapy is generally accepted for reducing bleeding after coronary artery bypass grafting procedures, heart transplantation, and insertion of a left ventricular assist device. We describe the case of a patient who had a suprasystemic increase in pulmonary artery pressure, caused by thromboembolic occlusion of the pulmonary arterioles after urgent implantation of a left ventricular assist device. The complications developed after the patient was weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass and heparinization was reversed with protamine. Although the thrombosis was successfully reversed with intraoperative administration of tissue plasminogen activator directly to the pulmonary artery, the patient died of massive hemorrhage 6 hours later. To our knowledge, the direct application of tissue plasminogen activator into the pulmonary artery in such a catastrophic situation has not been used elsewhere.
Descriptors		HEART-ASSIST DEVICES BLOOD COAGULATION BLOOD PRESSURE INTRAOPERATIVE COMPLICATIONS PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATORS PULMONARY ARTERY PULMONARY EMBOLISM