Single-centre experience with the Impella CP, 5.0 and RP in 109 consecutive patients with profound cardiogenic shock.

Rationale: Short-term mechanical circulatory support is increasingly used in the management of cardiogenic shock, but data from controlled studies are sparse. Thus, real-life data on complication rates and predictors of adverse outcome are important.

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyse the experience with Impella devices in the management of profound cardiogenic shock.

Embolisation of pheochromocytoma to stabilise and wean a patient in cardiogenic shock from emergency extracorporeal life support.

Pheochromocytoma is a catecholamine-secreting tumour associated with varying symptoms ranging from episodic headache, sweating, paroxysmal hypertension and tachycardia to intractable cardiogenic shock. Cardiogenic shock is rare but well-described and the timing of correct management is crucial since mortality is high. Fifty per cent of pheochromocytomas are diagnosed on autopsy.

[Mechanical circulatory support by means of a subclavian pump in a patient suffering acute heart failure].

A 65-year-old female patient suffered biventricular failure due to severe lymphoid myocarditis. Mechanical circulatory support was established with peripheral arterial-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (AV-ECMO). The left ventricle was relieved by subclavian Impella 5.

Optimal cut-off value for cardiac troponin I in ruling out Type 5 myocardial infarction.

Objectives: The clinical classification of myocardial infarction (MI) into five types was introduced in 2007 as a component of the universal definition. A Type 5 MI was defined as a MI related to coronary artery bypass surgery. In a setting of patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting, we set out (i) to describe the pattern of multiple serial cardiac troponin I (cTnI) measurements within 72 h postoperatively and (ii) to determine the optimal cardiac troponin I cut-off value in ruling in or ruling out a Type 5 MI.

[Bleeding or stent thrombosis in combination with drug-eluting stents].

Prolonged antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel is mandatory after implantation of drug-eluting stents. Evidence to support recommendations as to whether or not the treatment should be discontinued before an operation is lacking. We describe two cases in which clopidogrel was discontinued preoperatively with severe consequences (one fatality).

[Uncontrollable bleeding in a patient with head trauma treated with blood component therapy guided by thromboelastography].

This is a case report concerning a patient with traumatic uncontrolled bleeding. The patient was admitted with a severe head injury and facial fractures. During neurosurgery, the bleeding became life-threatening and there was a request for recombinant factor VIIa therapy (NovoSeven).