Temporary left ventricular assist and levosimendan for coronary artery spasm.

Abstract

Coronary vasospasm is a life threatening complication in the early postoperative period after coronary artery bypass grafting. We report a 45-year-old patient with normal preoperative ventricular function who could not be stabilized using established treatments such as: systemic application of glyceryl trinitrate, diltiazem and milrinone, intraaortic balloon pumping and intracoronary injection of glyceryl trinitrate. Severe stunning of the myocardium required support with a centrifugal left ventricular assist device. Subsequent application of levosimendan, a calcium sensitizer, may have contributed to prevent recurrence of repeated episodes of coronary spasm, enabling early explantation of the assist device and a full recovery.

• Authors: Ulrich R Döpfmer, Jan P Braun, Joachim Grosse, Wolfgang Konertz
• Journal: Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery (Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg) Vol. 4 Issue 4 Pg. 316-8 (Aug 2005) ISSN: 1569-9285 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 17670420 (Publication Type: Journal Article)