Abstract

Mechanical Circulatory Support, when is now Khaldoon Al Humood University of Ottawa - Kuwait

Author(s): Khaldoon Al-Humood

 Heart failure is a syndrome with high mortality and mor­bidity, as well as being the result of many cardiac and non-cardiac diseases. The corner stone of management in these cases is basically medical therapy, which can be very successful in most cases, especially if combined with lifestyle modifications such as control of fluid and salt intake as well as physical activity. At some point the intro­duction of devices may be required such as ICD and CRT in selective cases. Nevertheless, around 5% of patient will fall in the category of advanced heart failure, where fail­ure of medical therapy is the landmark of such condition and mortality is almost inevitable, this could occure over a long course of the disease with gradual decline or sud­denly after a major cardiac injury such as massive MI. In this situation it is required to introduce mechanical circulatory support (MCS) to maintain survival of the pa­tient as well as perfusion of all organs, which will either become a permanent solution or a bridge to heart trans­plantation whenever an organ is available.