Restoration of Epicardial Blood Flow After Left Ventricular Unloading With the Impella CP Heart Pump in a Patient With STEMI Treated With Surgical Revascularization

• Published in: Texas Heart Institute journal Vol. 51; no. 1; pp. 1 - 7
• Main Authors: Liu, Jason, Peer, Syed B, Sheth, Samar S, Loor, Gabriel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Texas Heart® Institute, Houston 28.05.2024; The Texas Heart Institute
• Subjects: Aged; Case Reports; Coronary Angiography; Coronary Circulation - physiology; coronary occlusion; Coronary Occlusion - complications; Coronary Occlusion - diagnosis; Coronary Occlusion - physiopathology; Coronary Occlusion - surgery; Electrocardiography; Heart-Assist Devices; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; myocardial infarction; myocardial reperfusion injury; Myocardial Revascularization - methods; Pericardium - physiopathology; Prosthesis Design; Recovery of Function; ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction - diagnosis; ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction - physiopathology; ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction - surgery; ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction - therapy; Treatment Outcome; Ventricular Function, Left - physiology; Coronary occlusion; myocardial reperfusion injury; myocardial infarction
• ISSN: 0730-2347; 1526-6702
• DOI: 10.14503/THIJ-23-8322

Left main occlusion presenting as ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction is an exceedingly morbid condition. This article reports a case of cardiac arrest in a patient after a treadmill stress test. Coronary angiography revealed 100% occlusion of the left main coronary artery. Left ventricular unloading with the Impella CP heart pump (ABIOMED/Johnson & Johnson MedTech) was used, after which epicardial blood flow was restored without angioplasty. The patient underwent surgical revascularization. Despite a prolonged revascularization time, there was no evidence of severe myocardial injury postoperatively.