Hannah Copeland

Experience with more than 100 total artificial heart implants.

OBJECTIVE The SynCardia Total Artificial Heart (SynCardia Systems Inc, Tucson, Ariz) has been used as a bridge to cardiac transplantation in 930 patients worldwide and in 101 patients in our program. Our experience with SynCardia Total Artificial Heart implantation documents its indications, safety, and efficacy. METHODS Data regarding preoperative condition, mortality, and morbidity have been reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS From January 1993 to December 2009, 101 patients had bridge to transplant procedures with the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart. Ninety-one percent of cases were Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support profile 1, and the remaining 9% of cases were failing medical therapy on multiple inotropic medications. The mean support time was 87 days (median, 53 days; range, 1-441 days). Pump outputs during support were 7 to 9 L/min. Adverse events included strokes in 7.9% of cases and take-back for hemorrhage in 24.7% of cases. Survival to transplantation was 68.3%. Causes of death of 32 patients on device support included multiple organ failure (13), pulmonary failure (6), and neurologic injury (4). Survival after transplantation at 1, 5, and 10 years was 76.8%, 60.5%, and 41.2%, respectively. The longest-term survivor is currently alive 16.4 years postimplantation. CONCLUSIONS These patients were not candidates for left ventricular assist device therapy and were expected to die. The SynCardia Total Artificial Heart offers a real alternative for survival with a reasonable complication rate in appropriate candidates who otherwise might have been assigned to hospice care.

A method for anticoagulation of children on mechanical circulatory support.

Anticoagulation of children on mechanical circulatory support presents a challenge. We implanted 28 devices in children and infants using a consistent anticoagulation protocol. We performed a retrospective review of all children implanted in our program with mechanical assist devices since 1997. Heparin, dipyridamole, and aspirin were used for anticoagulation and antiaggregation. Coagulation monitoring included thromboelastography (TEG), platelet aggregration studies, international normalized ratio, partial thromboplastin time, and platelet count. Twenty-eight children, ages 1 month to 16 years (mean 5.3; median 2.4 years), were implanted for 3-107 days (mean 27; median 17). Eighteen received left ventricular assist devices, seven received biventricular assist devices, and three received total artificial hearts. Adverse events during the 720 days of device support included the following: six (21%) reoperations for bleeding; seven strokes (25%): two fatal, two with a mild residual deficit, and three without deficit; and three (11%) visceral emboli: two fatal and one nonfatal. There were eight deaths (29%). Causes of death were embolic (four), graft failure post-transplantation (one), preimplant anoxic brain damage (two), and postexplant heart failure (one). 24/28 (86%) survived to transplantation or weaning from device and 20/28 (71%) were discharged from the hospital, 10 after transplantation and 10 after native heart recovery. All 20 early survivors survived long term. We describe an anticoagulation protocol based upon TEG and platelet aggregation studies and using heparin, aspirin, and dipyridamole. Adequate anticoagulation is more difficult in children. However, 71% of the patients in our study survived long term.

Results with an anticoagulation protocol in 99 SynCardia total artificial heart recipients.

For 15 years, we employed a consistent anticoagulation protocol in 99 consecutive SynCardia Systems total artificial heart (TAH) recipients. Thromboelastography and platelet aggregation studies were used for evaluating and modulating therapy with dipyridamole, pentoxiphylline, aspirin, and heparin. Partial thromboplastin times, international normalized ratios, and platelet counts were also followed. After the second post-implant day in patients who were free of endo-device infection (97 patients), the embolic stroke incidence was 0.08 per patient year. This included 23.6 patient years of device support. There were no spontaneous hemorrhagic strokes. Two patients had endo-device infections and both had strokes. Postimplantation bleeding was seen in 20% of patients. All but two of these were within the first postoperative week. In all, 4% of patients had gastrointestinal bleeding. We did not observe heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in any patient. We conclude that stroke rates on TAH support have been low, and recommend this protocol.

Elective cardiac retransplantation: A viable option that can be repeated

OBJECTIVE Our hypothesis is that cardiac retransplantation is a viable option for selected recipients. Furthermore, in some patients multiple retransplantations are reasonable. METHODS We studied 23 patients who had all received an elective second, third, or fourth cardiac transplant over a 25-year period. Comparisons were made with 792 primary transplantations. Subsequent retransplantations (third and fourth time) were elective and included in the evaluation. RESULTS Twenty-three patients electively received a second, 4 a third, and 1 a fourth transplant for coronary vasculopathy or chronic graft failure. Sixteen (70%) patients were men, and 7 (30%) were women. Median survival in years for primary cardiac recipients was 10.7 years; for a second transplantation, median survival from the date of retransplantation was 9.3 years. Average age at the time of first transplantation was 47.8 years, and it was 44.3 years at the time of second transplantation. No significant difference was noted in Kaplan-Meier survival curves between patients undergoing primary transplantation and elective retransplantation. Survival at 1 year for patients undergoing a first transplantation was 88.8%, and it was 81.8% for patients undergoing retransplantation. Patient survival at 10 years was nearly identical for patients undergoing first-time transplantation and those undergoing retransplantation (58%). All 5 third- and fourth-time transplant recipients survived. CONCLUSIONS Cardiac retransplantation is a reasonable option for elective recipients with coronary vasculopathy or chronic graft failure. Survival for groups undergoing primary transplantation and retransplantation is similar. Careful selection of this small group of cardiac recipients (3% of the total) might be the key to success.

Social framework of pediatric heart recipients who have survived more than 15 post-transplant years: A single-center experience.

To evaluate social development of pediatric heart transplant (tx) recipients who have lived 15 or more years after transplantation. Among 498 pediatric patients, age less than 18 years, who underwent heart transplantation, at a single institution, 337 were performed between 1985 and 1998. We identified all who survived more than 15 years and engaged them in a survey regarding employment, education, marital, and social status. One hundred and eighty‐three recipients (54.3%; 183/337) have survived greater than 15 years; of these, 150 (81.9%) subjects are alive with age ranging from 15.04 from 28 years (median, 23.6 years). Forty‐two patients (23%) are independent, 127 (69%) were living at home, and 14 (8%) have been lost to follow‐up. Ninety‐nine survivors (66%) responded to the survey study. Currently, five recipients are married. Seventy‐four completed high school, 21 are enrolled in high school, and four did not complete high school. Of the 47 recipients who started college, 27 are currently enrolled, 11 graduated, and nine did not finish college. Ninety‐four patients have health insurance, 40 are employed, and 31 receive financial assistance for a disability. The majority of recipients of pediatric heart transplantation are able to reach reasonable academic milestones, achieve social well‐being, and professional independence.

Treatment for sternoclavicular joint infections: a multi-institutional study

BACKGROUND Sternoclavicular joint (SCJ) infections are rare and difficult to manage. Surgery is necessary for treatment. METHODS A retrospective chart review of the university hospital and Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals of all patients treated for SCJ infections since 2001 was conducted. Fifteen [15] patients were identified and evaluated for the types of infections, risk factors, treatments and survival. RESULTS All 15 patients were symptomatic including: pain [13], erythema [9], purulent drainage [3], fever greater than 38.3 °C [2], and leukocytosis [9]. The associated medical problems included: diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN) and renal failure. All patients underwent intraoperative joint resection. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of intraoperative wound cultures grew staphylococcus aureus. Fourteen patients were discharged on intravenous antibiotics. The follow-up ranged between 1 week-11 months. Thirteen patients are currently alive without infection. Two patients died: 1 of sepsis and 1 of unknown causes after discharge. CONCLUSIONS Symptomatic SCJ infections require surgical intervention. The most common organism was staphylococcus aureus.

Successful Treatment of Invasive Pulmonary Mucormycosis in an Immunocompromised Patient

A 59-year-old man undergoing chemotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia had a bilateral pneumonic process. The right lung subsequently developed several small cavitary lesions extending from the central hilum to the chest wall. Despite medical therapy, repeat imaging demonstrated coalescence into a single, large, central cavitary lesion. Thoracic surgery was consulted because of the central hilar involvement of all three lobes; a pneumonectomy would have been required to resect the lesion. However, he was not a candidate for pneumonectomy because of a low predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second. We performed a rib resection, debridement, and marsupialization, in which the skin was sewn circumferentially to the parietal pleura. His wound was managed with wet-to-dry dressings. Postoperatively, he recovered well, with resolution of his cough. Three weeks after surgery, he was discharged from the hospital, and the cavity completely closed at 4 months.

Primary extraskeletal pleural osteosarcoma: a rare pleural identity

A 69-year-old female with a history of a heart transplant 16 years prior, presented with a large left chest mass identified on fluoroscopy in the cardiac catheterization lab. The patient noted a 40 pound weight loss in one year. A chest X-ray (CXR) and chest computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a large complex cystic mass in the left chest. A CT guided aspiration was performed, and the cytology for the cyst fluid was negative for malignancy. The patient continued to have worsening shortness of breath, a repeat chest CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) three months later, demonstrated a recurrence of the left pleural mass. Further, work-up was negative for tumor. A left video assisted thoracotomy exploration was performed and left thoracotomy was needed for the mass resection. The final pathology demonstrated a high grade osteosarcoma. The post-operative course was unremarkable.

Post traumatic pulmonary pseudoaneurysm requiring pneumonectomy: a case report

A 57-year-old male presented with progressive exertional dyspnea, cough, and hemoptysis. He underwent a chest computed tomography (CT) that demonstrated a 27 cm × 20 cm right chest mass that was causing a local mass effect. Pertinent history revealed that the patient had suffered a severe chest trauma from a MVA in 1981. The patient underwent workup including: needle localized biopsy, bronchoscopy and endoscopic biopsy. There was considerable concern for a malignant process and a subsequent right pneumonectomy with en bloc resection of the chest wall and diaphragm was performed. The final pathology concluded the mass to be a large pseudoaneurysm. Pseudoaneurysms after traumas are extremely rare, especially blunt trauma, and should be considered once other etiologies have been excluded.

Fourth Time Cardiac Retransplantation

Beginning at age 11 years, our patient has had four heart transplants. Now, 26 years later at age 37, he is fully active. This case is presented to document a unique experience and to consider the difficult decision-making process and ethical issues of multiple cardiac retransplantation.