Establishing an Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Program.

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is a complex, life-saving procedure that uses mechanical support for patients with refractory cardiac arrest, representing the pinnacle of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) applications. Effective ECPR requires precise patient selection, rapid mobilization of a multidisciplinary team, and skilled cannulation techniques. Establishing a program necessitates a cohesive ECMO system that promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, which is essential for managing acute cardiogenic shock and severe pulmonary failure.

Right ventricle free wall longitudinal strain screening of lung transplant candidates.

Background: Lung transplant (LUTX) candidates have subclinical right ventricular (RV) dysfunction, which has not yet been assessed by speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE)-derived RV free-wall longitudinal strain (RVFWLS). To evaluate the prevalence of RV dysfunction by RVFWLS and its relationship with conventional RV echocardiographic indexes in LUTX candidates.

Methods: In a single-center prospective observational cohort study, from January 2021 to March 2023 consecutive LUTX candidates underwent cardiac catheterization, radionuclide ventriculography, standard and STE.

The role of Impella in the pre-procedural management of post-infarct ventricular septal defect: a systematic review.

Objectives: Post-infarct ventricular septal defect is a rare but devastating complication. Delayed treatment offers better outcomes than emergency surgery, but when acute cardiogenic shock or unstable haemodynamics occur, temporary mechanical circulatory support may be needed to stabilize patients until treatment. The aim of our systematic review was to assess the outcomes of using Impella in this setting.