Open AccessSuccessful Heart Transplantation Recovered From a Brain-Dead Donor on Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support
Author(s) -
Joshua Goldberg,
Avi Levine,
Suguru Ohira,
David Spielvogel,
Masashi Kai
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
asaio journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.961
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1538-943X
pISSN - 1058-2916
DOI - 10.1097/mat.0000000000001437
Subject(s) - extracorporeal membrane oxygenation , medicine , cardiology , pulmonary embolism , transplantation , heart transplantation , ventricular assist device , transthoracic echocardiogram , heart failure , anesthesia
We describe the successful transplantation of a brain-dead donor supported by veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) after cardiac arrest secondary to pulmonary embolism. The donor was a 50-year-old female who developed massive pulmonary embolism complicated by cardiac arrest requiring initiation of VA-ECMO. An initial echocardiogram revealed severe right ventricular dysfunction which recovered after 6 days of VA-ECMO confirmed by transthoracic echocardiogram and right heart catheterization. The heart was transplanted to a 56-year-old male on a left ventricular assist device. At 1-year posttransplant, he continues to have normal graft function. The present case reports the successful transplantation of a brain-dead donor heart recently recovered from pulmonary embolism induced acute right ventricular failure supported by VA-ECMO and represents a potential source of increased donor organs that would otherwise not be utilized.