Instalación ecoguiada del balón de contrapulsación intraaórtico (BCPIA) vía arteria axilar por abordaje extratorácico en pacientes en espera de trasplante cardíaco / Echo-guided installation of Inta aortic balloon counterpulsation via the extra thoracic axillary artery

Resumen El balón de contrapulsación intraaórtico (BCPIA) es el dispositivo más frecuentemente utilizado para otorgar soporte mecánico en pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca terminal y compromiso hemodinámico refractario al soporte inotrópico. Se han utilizado diferentes tipos de abordajes para la instalación del BCPIA a través de las extremidades superiores, ya sea vía arteria subclavia o últimamente vía arteria axilar. Con el objetivo de evitar la inmovilidad física asociada al BCPIA instalado vía arteria femoral, aumentar la comodidad del paciente, simplificar la técnica de instalación del catéter y facilitar los cuidados de enfermería necesarios para su mantención, hemos diseñado y utilizado un abordaje simple y seguro para su inserción. Bajo técnica ecoguiada y utilizando un set de micro punción, se realizó la canulación de la arteria axilar en su porción externa (lateral al borde externo del músculo pectoral menor). Con la ayuda de fluoroscopía, el BCPIA fue avanzado hasta posicionarlo en la aorta descendente bajo la emergencia de la arteria subclavia izquierda. En dos pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca terminal INTERMACS 2, con deambulación restringida debido a la necesidad permanente de soporte inotrópico y BCPIA femoral, bajo visión ecoguiada se realizó la reinstalación de este catéter a través de la arteria axilar izquierda, utilizando anestesia local y fluoroscopía en el laboratorio de hemodinamia. La rehabilitación fue posible rápidamente en ambos pacientes, realizándose el transplante cardíaco ortotópico después de 10 y 69 días de soporte mecánico con BCPIA, sin mayores efectos adversos.

Abstract Intra aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP) is the most frequently used procedure to give mechanic support in patients with terminal heart failure and hemodynamic compromise refractory to inotropic support. Different approaches have been utilized to install upper extremity IABP, via either the axillary or subclavian arteries. In order to circumvent the limitations associated to long lasting femoral IABP support, simplify the technique, increase patient comfort and facilitate nursing care, we designed a simplified approach. Using echo guidance, the axillary artery was accessed with a micropuncture set just outside the external margin of the pectoral minor muscle. With the help of fluoroscopy the IABP catheter was advanced and its correct position in the descending aorta was confirmed. Two patients in INTERMACS 2 end stage heart failure, bedridden due to permanent inotropic support and femoral IABP, underwent echo guided axillary IABP placement under local anesthesia and fluoroscopy in the catheterization laboratory. Both patients gained rapid access to rehabilitation and received orthotopic heart transplantation after 10 and 69 days of uneventful IABP support.

Ectasia coronaria y miocardiopatía hipertrófica: una entidad infrecuente / Coronary artery ectasia and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: case report

Resumen Se presenta el caso de un paciente de 54 años que consulta por angina de esfuerzo de 2 años de evolución en quien se identifica una dilatación ectásica del árbol coronario con lesiones ateroscleróticas críticas y miocardiopatía hipertrófica septal obstructiva. Una revisión bibliográfica revela que es una asociación infrecuente de la cual solo existen reportes de casos aislados.

Abstract We present the case of a 54-year-old patient who presented with a history of 2 years with angina. Invasive studies revealed critical coronary artery stenosis coexisting with obstructive hypertrophic miopathy. This is a rare association with only isolated case reports.

Retrasplante cardíaco: reporte de un caso / Cardiac re-transplantation: case report

RESUMEN: El Trasplante cardíaco es la mejor alternativa para la insuficiencia cardíaca terminal, logrando buenos resultados de sobrevida y calidad de vida a largo plazo. Una de las causas más importantes de morbimortalidad es la falla del injerto, la que puede ser secundaria, entre otros, a rechazo agudo y/o vasculopatía y su presencia requiere considerar todas las alternativas terapéuticas, dentro de las cuales está el retrasplante. Los resultados de sobrevida en retrasplante cardíaco son buenos. No obstante, los pacientes presentan los riesgos de una terapia inmunosupresora más intensa, así como el desarrollo recurrente de vasculopatía del injerto. Por lo que se considera una opción en pacientes cuidadosamente seleccionados, dado que la experiencia internacional demuestra que la sobrevida del retrasplante es menor que en el primer trasplante. Presentamos el caso de un paciente trasplantado a los 42 años, quien desarrolla una enfermedad vascular del injerto e insuficiencia cardíaca con capacidad funcional IV, por lo cual se decidió realizar un retrasplante cardíaco.

ABSTRACT: Cardiac transplantation is the best alternative for terminal heart failure, achieving good long-term survival and life quality. One of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality is graft failure, which may be secondary, among others, to acute rejection and / or vasculopathy and its presence requires the consideration of all therapeutic alternatives, re transplantation being one of them. The results of survival in cardiac retransplantation are good; however, they present the risks of a more intense immunosuppressive therapy as well as the recurrent development of graft vasculopathy. Therefore, it is considered an option in carefully selected patients given that international experience shows that the survival of retransplantation is lower than in primary cases. We present the case of a 42 year old transplanted patient , who developed graft vascular disease with progressive deterioration of his ventricular function leading to functional class IV. for which a cardiaccardiac retransplantation was performed.

Sobrevida a 10 años de pacientes egresados luego de cirugía por endocarditis infecciosa en un hospital público / Hospital mortality and long-term survival of 103 patients with infective endocarditis requiring surgery

Background Infective endocarditis (IE) is a serious disease with high mortality, especially among the most severe cases undergoing surgery. Aim To analyze the clinical features, perioperative mortality and long-term survival of patients with infective endocarditis requiring surgery. Material and Methods Review of medical records of patients who underwent heart valve surgery for active infective endocarditis in a public hospital between 1995 and 2008. Demographic characteristics and comorbidities were described. Perioperative and 10 year survival were analyzed retrieving death certificates from the Chilean Identification Service. Results Data from 103 patients aged 46 ± 14 years (74% males) was analyzed. Thirty five percent of patients had an underlying predisposing heart condition such as congenital heart disease in 18.5% and prosthetic valves in 10%. The most common location was the aortic valve and the most common surgical procedure was heart valve replacement with a mechanical prosthetic valve in 87% of the cases. Pathogen identification in blood cultures was achieved in 48% of the cases. The most common causative microorganisms were S. aureus in 12%, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus in 11%, S. viridans in 10% and Enterococcus in 7%. Hospital mortality was 20.4% and ten-year survival was 65%. Conclusions Patients with severe IE requiring surgical treatment still have high perioperative and late mortality.

Recomendaciones de manejo de pacientes con asistencia circulatoria mecánica de corta duración / Recommendations for the management of patients with short-term mechanical circulatory assistance

There has been a progressive increase in the use of mechanical circulatory support in our country in the last years, mainly in the short-term: as a bridge to cardiac transplant or recovery, which has allowed to rescue patients from a population that concentrates high rates of complications and mortality. This motivated that the Ministry of Health convened a series of experts in the area of heart failure, transplantation and mechanical circulatory support, representatives of different public and private health centers in Chile, with the objective of developing recommendations on the use of short-term mechanical assistance devices, which would serve as a reference for the proper management of these patients. This clinical experts consensus document contains topics related to: definitions and general concepts; indications; contraindications; specific aspects of starting, follow-up and weaning of the devices; process of transfer of patients in circulatory assistance from one center to another and finally criteria of organization, means and competences to be fulfilled by the centers that offer this therapeutic option.

Asistencia ventricular intracorpórea en falla cardiaca terminal / Left ventricular assistant devices for end-stage heart failure: report of two cases

In the last 2 decades, there have been significant advances in medical treatment of heart failure. However, there is a group of patients who are refractory to the available medical therapy and progress inevitably to a state of end-stage heart failure, whose only therapeutic alternative is cardiac transplantation. But this is an option limited by the scarce availability of donors. Therefore many patients die waiting for an organ. Recently, extra or intracorporeal left ventricular devices have emerged as a viable alternative for patients with end-stage heart failure waiting for a heart transplant. These devices discharge the left ventricle, increasing cardiac output and improving systemic perfusion. This year, in our hospital we began a left ventricular device implantation program for the most severely ill patients on the waiting list for cardiac transplantation. We report two males aged 30 and 53 years, in whom a left ventricular device was successfully implanted, using a minimally invasive surgical technique developed at the University of Hannover in Germany.

Asistencia ventricular derecha con bomba centrífuga / Right ventricular assistance with a centrifugal pump. Report of two cases

Acute right ventricular failure after cardiac surgery occurring in the first postoperative hours is associated with a bad prognosis. We have used a centrifugal pump either for ¡eft, right or biventricular assistance. However, the use of this device for pure right ventricular assistance is rare. We report a 30 year-old female undergoing a mitral valve replacement and a 42 year-old male undergoing a cardiac transplantation, who had a successful right ventricular assistance using a centrifugal pump, due to a failing right ventricle, as the result of insufficient myocardial protection and severe pulmonary hypertension. These two cases illustrate the value of the mechanical ventricular assist device for the treatment of right heart failure.