Miniature intracardiac assist device provides more effective cardiac unloading and circulatory support during severe left heart failure than intraaortic balloon pumping.

Background: Hemodynamic assistance with a miniature intracardiac pump may fill the treatment gap between use of an intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) and the current, more invasive ventricular assist devices. The objective of this study was to compare the hemodynamic efficacy of a miniature intracardiac pump device with that of IABP.

Methods And Results: Reversible acute mitral regurgitation (AMR) was induced in eight calves by stenting the mitral valve using a vena cava filter. Full and partial AMR assist were compared with maximum IABP support in each animal. In full-support mode, both assist systems increased cardiac output (miniature intracardiac pump, 13% [p < 0.05]; IABP, 3% [p < 0.05]), mean aortic pressure (miniature intracardiac pump, 13% [p < 0.05]; IABP, 8% [p < 0.05]), carotid artery flow (miniature intracardiac pump, 29% [p < 0.05]; IABP, 5% [difference not significant]), and coronary blood flow (miniature intracardiac pump, 25% [difference not significant]; IABP, 34% [p < 0.05]). Again in full-support mode, both systems reduced left atrial pressure (miniature intracardiac pump, 2.4 mm Hg [p < 0.05]; IABP, 0.7 mm Hg [p < 0.05]), peak left ventricular (LV) pressure (miniature intracardiac pump, 13% [p < 0.05]; IABP, 5% [p < 0.05]), and external LV work (miniature intracardiac pump, 29% [p < 0.05]; IABP, 3% [p < 0.05]). Only full miniature intracardiac pump support reduced both end-diastolic LV volume (7%; p < 0.05) and end-systolic LV volume (10%; p < 0.05). IABP mainly improved coronary perfusion, while the miniature intracardiac pump proved more capable of genuinely unloading the LV.

Conclusions: We conclude that during severe acute LV failure, the miniature intracardiac pump is capable of more effective cardiac unloading and circulatory support than IABP.