transvalvular left ventricular assist device

Q: Which of the following is percutaneous transvalvular left ventricular assist device?

A) Percutaneous left atrial-to-femoral arterial ventricular assist device (Tandem Heart ©)
B) Fem-Fem Extracorporeal membrane oxygenator (ECMO)
C) Percutaneous left ventricular assist device (Impella ©)
D) Intra-aortic Balloon Pump (IABP)
E) Pulmonary artery catheter (Swan-Ganz or PAC)


Answer: C

Tandem Heart © is placed via the femoral vein and across the interatrial septum to provide circulatory support. (choice A)

Bilateral femoral cannulas for ECMO do not cross any heart valve. (choice B)

Impella © is placed retrograde via the femoral artery, crosses the aortic valve into the left ventricle, unload the ventricle into the aorta. (choice C)

IABP never reaches the heart. (choice D)

PAC is a diagnostic tool, not a therapeutic tool or an assisted device. (choice E)

#cardiology
#procedures


References:

Lauten A, Engström AE, Jung C, et al. Percutaneous left-ventricular support with the Impella-2.5-assist device in acute cardiogenic shock: results of the Impella-EUROSHOCK-registry. Circ Heart Fail 2013; 6:23.