文摘
Several mechanical left ventricular assist devices are available for therapy of critically ill patients including the intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), Impella™, TandemHeart™ and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). These percutaneous implantable devices have three main applications in cardiogenic shock, prophylactic implantation for high-risk interventions and implantation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation without return of spontaneous circulation. These devices, however, differ in construction and mechanism of action and therefore in the potential benefits for specific patients. Furthermore, vascular complications have to be taken into account, which can arise during implantation, operation as well as after explanation. Mechanical left ventricular assist devices are prone to complications, which are in contrast to the potentially life-saving benefits but might be reduced by expertise, improvement of the systems and improved aftercare.