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J Artif Organs 2019 Feb 8. Epub 2019 Feb 8.

Postgraduate Program in Health and Behavior, Catholic University of Pelotas, Rua Gonçalves Chaves, 373, Pelotas, 96015-560, Brazil.

The measure of hemodialysis (HD) adequacy recommended nowadays by most guidelines, Kt/V-urea, presents significant drawbacks. Direct dialysis quantification (DDQ) through total dialysate collection (TDC), considered the gold standard measure of HD adequacy, is cumbersome, which precludes its widespread use in clinical practice. The present study aims to validate a low-volume continuous sampling of spent dialysate (CSSD). Read More

J Artif Organs 2019 Feb 8. Epub 2019 Feb 8.

The Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital, 35-2 Sakae-Cho Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan.

Left ventricular assist device is an established therapeutic option for the patient with end-stage heart failure. Recently, durable continuous-flow devices have replaced earlier generation of pulsatile devices and their desirable features are accelerating the utilization of these devices. However, their powerful performance could sometimes induce unfavorable complications such as sucking, especially in not so dilated left ventricle. Read More

J Artif Organs 2019 Jan 25. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kosuyolu Heart Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.

Ten months after an ineffective percutaneous coronary stent placement, a 53-year-old patient was rehospitalized with NYHA functional class IV congestive heart failure, ischemic heart disease and left ventricular aneurysm. Echocardiography revealed thrombus formation in the left ventricle with apical aneurysm. Even though left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation improves quality of patients' lives with an increase of its overall use, it becomes more complicated in the presence of ventricular thrombus. Read More

J Artif Organs 2019 Jan 23. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Heart Centre, University Hospital Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.

Out-of-hospital extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) implantation and ECMO transport have become a growing field useful for emergent treatment of heart or lung failure with increasing number of centers launching such service. This study was designed to present risk factors predicting 30-day mortality for patients receiving ECMO support in a newly launched ECMO retrieval service. From 01/2015 till 01/2017 28 consecutive patients received ECMO support in peripheral hospitals using a miniaturized portable Cardiohelp System (Maquet, Rastatt Germany) for heart, lung or heart/lung failure as a bridge-to-decision as a part of our newly launched ECMO retrieval service. Read More

J Artif Organs 2019 Jan 20. Epub 2019 Jan 20.

Cooperative Major in Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Joint Graduate School of Tokyo Women's Medical University and Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.

We aimed to investigate the influences of the sealing length above the renal artery (RA) on gutter formation, non-apposed regions between the aortic wall, stent graft (SG), and chimney graft and incidence of flow channel to the aneurysm in chimney endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (Ch-EVAR) using a juxtarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm model. Neck diameter and length of the silicone model were 24 and 4 mm, respectively. In double Ch-EVAR configuration using Advanta V12, 12 combinations were tested three times with two sizes [28. Read More

J Artif Organs 2019 Jan 5. Epub 2019 Jan 5.

Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036-8562, Japan.

Although thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR) has been getting popularity as a less-invasive procedure, the treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysm with atherosclerotic aortic disease is still challenging. In hybrid TEVAR through the median sternotomy approach, side-biting clamp of the ascending aorta is often necessary for making an access route; however, it could cause embolic complication and aortic dissection. This study aimed to present the results of our preliminary study on the clampless aortic punch system (APS). Read More

J Artif Organs 2019 Jan 4. Epub 2019 Jan 4.

Department of Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, 1107 2020, Beirut, Lebanon.

NAVA may improve veno-venous ECMO weaning in children. This is a retrospective small series, describing for the first time proof-of-principle for the use of NAVA in children on VV ECMO. Six patients (age 1-48 months) needed veno-venous ECMO. Read More

J Artif Organs 2019 Jan 2. Epub 2019 Jan 2.

Department of Medical Engineering, Kyushu University of Health and Welfare, 1714-1 Yoshinomachi, Nobeoka, Miyazaki, 8828508, Japan.

Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) maintains a balance in body water and electrolytes. CRRT supplies a higher quantity of fluid than intravenous fluid therapy along with simultaneous fluid withdrawal. We hypothesized that use of a high-oxygen-containing solution for high-volume fluid exchange would improve oxygenation in the blood during CRRT. Read More

J Artif Organs 2019 Jan 2. Epub 2019 Jan 2.

Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8638, Japan.

Transvalvular leakage (TVL) of a prosthetic heart valve is not negligible regurgitant flow in patients with critically low contractile function. Although the opening function of prosthetic valves has been reported, its closing function is not well understood. A man in his 70 s had a history of mitral valve replacement (MVR) with a Magna Mitral® valve for ischemic mitral valve regurgitation. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Nov 22. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Department of Operating Management, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kohasu Oko-cho 185-1, Nankoku, Kochi, 783-8505, Japan.

Near-infrared fluorescence angiography (NIR) visualizes blood perfusion using the fluorescence property of indocyanine green (ICG). This study aimed to retrospectively determine the usefulness of a quantitative analysis using NIR to predict the patency of peripheral arterial bypass grafts by measuring their fluorescence luminance intensities (FLIs).Thirteen grafts in 11 patients who underwent peripheral arterial bypass grafting were divided into a patent graft group (n = 7) and a failed graft group (n = 6). Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Nov 19. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8638, Japan.

Ideally, an annuloplasty ring's shape should be changed intraoperatively if mitral valve repair is unsuccessful because of a short coaptation length or systolic anterior motion. Several post-implantation adjustable rings have been developed, but they are not freely deformable and are unsuitable for asymmetric repair of the valvular annulus. We developed a novel thermally deformable mitral annuloplasty ring to address these problems and assessed the ring's mechanical properties and its effect on the mitral valve anatomy. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Nov 19. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Kohasu, Oko-cho, Nankoku, Kochi, 783-8505, Japan.

Although tight glucose control might reduce inflammation after cardiac surgery, it remains unclear whether inflammation can be controlled by maintaining glucose levels within 110-180 mg/dL. We hypothesized that a glucose target range of 110-180 mg/dL decreases inflammation after cardiovascular surgery. This retrospective study included 72 cardiovascular surgery patients divided into two groups according to the glucose control approach. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Nov 14. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Department of Nephrology, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.

Recent evidence on maintenance administration of epoetin beta pegol, a continuous erythropoiesis receptor activator (CERA), in dialysis patients shows the clinical benefit of bi-weekly administration (Q2W) in improving hematopoiesis and iron use efficiency. We undertook a single-center observational study of 33 Japanese maintenance dialysis patients, whose anemia had been kept stable through weekly administration (Q1W) of darbepoetin (DA), to evaluate the effectiveness of CERA Q2W switched from DA in maintaining hemoglobin (Hb) levels over a 12-month period. The target Hb level was 10. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Nov 7. Epub 2018 Nov 7.

Department of Radiology, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, UK.

Central venous catheters (CVC) remain a mainstay of vascular access particularly for incident patients,
but lead to central vein stenosis (CVS) in up to 1 in 6 patents. This often leads to establishing dialysis access in the groin which in turn may result in development of CVS in the lower body, although this is poorly reported. The HeRO device was designed to address CVS by bypassing the stenosed veins with a nitinol-reinforced silicone tube into the right atrium, which acts as an outflow conduit attached to an arterial inflow. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Nov 2. Epub 2018 Nov 2.

Division of Cardiology, Gill Heart Institute, University of Kentucky, 900 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY, 40507, USA.

A frequent complication of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) is the LVAD-associated infections (LVADIs). Contamination may occur during initial surgery/admission or at a later time. We studied the clinical manifestations and outcomes of LVADIs depending on the time of the onset. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Oct 28. Epub 2018 Oct 28.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-8641, Japan.

Past reports showed good mid-term results of RHA for Japanese patients. However, few reports have compared the mid- to long-term results for RHA in Japanese patients with and without osteoarthritis. Therefore, this study investigated the mid- to long-term results of RHA in Japanese patients with osteoarthritis compared to those without. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Oct 25. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Division of Cardiothoracic Transplantation and Circulatory Support, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.

The effect of performing a concomitant mitral valve procedure (MVP) during continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) implantation has been reported for patients with moderate-to-severe mitral regurgitation (MR), but moderate MR is less of a clinical concern for CF-LVAD patients. There is a paucity of reports focusing on patients with severe MR. Thus, the purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of performing a concomitant MVP during CF-LVAD implantation in patients with severe preoperative MR. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Dec 22;21(4):466-470. Epub 2018 Oct 22.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.

Infection is a serious potential complication after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. In general, infection of the device pocket, with device exposure, should be managed by early device removal and heart transplantation. However, because of the small number of donors in Japan, accelerating access to heart transplantation is often difficult and the LVAD can be widely exposed during the waiting period. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Oct 11. Epub 2018 Oct 11.

Rajaie Cardiovascular, Medical and Research Center, Tehran, Iran.

A centrifugal blood pump is a common type of pump used as a left ventricular assist device in the medical industries. Therefore, the improvement of the device bio-compatibility to reduce the blood damage and to increase the efficiency has become a major challenge. In the current work, a metamodel-assisted genetic algorithm is employed to simultaneously optimize the impeller and volute geometries of a typical centrifugal blood pump. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Oct 11. Epub 2018 Oct 11.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Chiba Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuou, Chiba city, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan.

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is expected to be minimally invasive, especially in older patients. However, clinical results of TEVAR in octogenarians including medical costs are limited. Between 2010 and 2016, a total of 57 patients over 80 years of age (mean age 84. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Oct 8. Epub 2018 Oct 8.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, 5-7-1 Fujishirodai, Suita, Osaka, 565-8565, Japan.

We hypothesized that the externalizing direction of the driveline (the driveline angle) at the percutaneous exit site would influence the occurrence of driveline infection after left ventricular assist device implantation. From August 2013 to May 2017, 71 patients were implanted with a HeartMate II device in our center. The driveline angle was measured on anteroposterior radiography just after implantation. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Dec 5;21(4):479-481. Epub 2018 Oct 5.

Department of Critical Care Medicine, Sakai City Medical Center, Ebaraji-cho 1-1-1, Nishi-ku, Sakai, Osaka, 593-8304, Japan.

Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) is used not only support gas transfer of patients suffering from respiratory failure, but also to manage hypoxic patients with critical airway obstruction during various procedures. We present a case in which we electively used VV-ECMO to facilitate tube placement and tracheal biopsy in a 67-year-old female with critical tracheal stenosis. The patient was transferred to our hospital for a surgical treatment after emergent tracheostomy for postoperative management of cerebral hemorrhage in right putamen. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Oct 3. Epub 2018 Oct 3.

Department of Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan.

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) recovery is complicated by lung inflammation from bone marrow (BM)-derived polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and monocytes (MO). Although Sivelestat reduces inflammatory mediators and Rolipram inhibits PMN and MO activation, any kinetic effects to improve CPB recovery in vivo are unknown. We hypothesized that intraoperative co-administration of these compounds would reduce CPB-induced lung inflammation through downregulation of PMN and MO recruitment. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Oct 3. Epub 2018 Oct 3.

Department of Anaesthesiology, Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine, University of Göttingen Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37099, Göttingen, Germany.

Extracorporeal CO removal (ECCOR) is intended to facilitate lung protective ventilation in patients with hypercarbia. The combination of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and minimal-flow ECCOR offers a promising concept for patients in need of both. We hypothecated that this system is able to remove enough CO to facilitate lung protective ventilation in mechanically ventilated patients. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Sep 24. Epub 2018 Sep 24.

Department of Orthopaedic Medical Engineering, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2, Yamadaoka, Suita, 565-0871, Japan.

The aim was to elucidate the differences in activities of daily living (ADL) after hip arthroplasty among hip resurfacing (HRA), anterolateral total hip arthroplasty (AL-THA), and posterolateral THA (PL-THA) patients after age, sex, body mass index, bilateral/unilateral hip arthroplasty, and postoperative duration were matched using propensity scores. A total of 673 hips from 540 consecutive patients who underwent hip arthroplasty were included. A self-completed questionnaire on preoperative and postoperative ADLs was administered during postsurgical visits at least ≥ 4 years postoperatively. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Sep 5. Epub 2018 Sep 5.

Research Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

In recent years, there have been substantial advancements in the development of different technologies for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for in-hospital and out of hospital applications. However the effectiveness of these devices is not clearly known. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Cardiohelp compared to other portable ECMO devices. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Dec 20;21(4):486-490. Epub 2018 Aug 20.

Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokai University, Minami-sawa 5-1-1-1, Minami-ku, Sapporo, 005-8601, Japan.

In this study, we investigated tissue-inducing characteristics of a titanium fiber mesh disk with one surface sealed with a non-porous material. We used sintered titanium fiber mesh (Hi-Lex Co., Zellez™, Hyogo, Japan) having a titanium fiber diameter of 50 µm and volumetric porosity of the titanium fiber mesh of 87% with an average pore size of 200 µm. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Aug 18. Epub 2018 Aug 18.

Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine and Pain Management, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.

Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be a lifesaving therapy for patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ECMO is a technically complex and challenging procedure and should therefore only be performed in specialized centers. Transporting ARDS patients to ECMO centers for treatment can be dangerous because of the risk of hypoxemia during transport. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Dec 25;21(4):450-457. Epub 2018 Jul 25.

Department of Surgery, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan.

The use of grafts donated after cardiac death (DCD) would greatly contribute to the expansion of the donor organ pool. Machine perfusion (MP) is a promising technology to improve DCD liver grafts. Several perfusion technologies under various temperature and oxygenation conditions have been suggested and are still debated. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Dec 24;21(4):435-442. Epub 2018 Jul 24.

Extracorporeal Immunomodulation Unit, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Schillingallee 68, Room 1.06, 18057, Rostock, Germany.

Hemofilters applied in continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRTs) for the treatment of acute kidney injury must meet high standards in biocompatibility and permeability for middle and large molecules over extended treatment times. In general, cellulose-based membranes exhibit good biocompatibility and low fouling, and thus appear to be beneficial for CRRT. In this in vitro study, we compared a novel asymmetric cellulose triacetate (ATA) membrane with three synthetic membranes [polysulfone (PS), polyethersulfone (PES), and polyethylenimine-treated acrylonitrile/sodium methallyl sulfonate copolymer (AN69 ST)] regarding thrombogenicity and cytokine removal. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Sep 24;21(3):332-339. Epub 2018 Jul 24.

Kitasato University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanagawa, Japan.

The purpose of the present study was to establish a continuous hemofiltration model using porcine blood to compare filter life. Continuous hemofiltration (CHF) experiments were performed using an in vitro hemofilter evaluation system utilizing porcine blood containing trisodium citrate in addition to nafamostat mesilate as anticoagulants. The lifetime of the hemofilter was evaluated using the transmembrane pressure and the pressure drop across the hemofilter at varying trisodium citrate concentrations. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Dec 23;21(4):399-404. Epub 2018 Jul 23.

Department of Artificial Organs, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, Osaka, Japan.

Aortic insufficiency (AI) is a crucial complication during continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support. Our previous clinical study suggested that a larger angle between the outflow graft and the aorta (O-A angle) could cause AI progression. This study examined the effect of the O-A angle on the hemodynamics of AI under LVAD support in an acute animal experimental model. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 12;21(4):419

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0375, Japan.

In the original publication, the length unit of the SCD in Table 1 and Fig. 2 has been incorrectly published as cm. The correct length unit is mm. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Jul 14. Epub 2018 Jul 14.

Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, LAQV-REQUIMTE, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira nº. 228, 450-313, Porto, Portugal.

End-stage renal disease is a growing health problem with increasing prevalence and high health care costs. Patients suffering from end-stage renal disease exhibit higher morbidity and mortality rates compared to the general population. These patients, who are treated using hemodialysis, typically suffer from anemia, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Dec 6;21(4):427-434. Epub 2018 Jul 6.

Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo, Chiba, 260-8677, Japan.

We developed a novel system comprising acid infusion, membrane lung, and a continuous renal replacement therapy console for efficient CO removal at a low blood flow. To evaluate the new system, we used an ex vivo experimental model using swine blood. A liter of aliquoted blood adjusted to pH 7. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Dec 27;21(4):443-449. Epub 2018 Jun 27.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Jichi Medical University, Yakushiji 3311-1, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan.

The prognostic nutritional index is an effective prognostic tool used in gastrointestinal surgeries. However, its value has not been verified in cardiovascular surgeries. This study aimed to investigate its utility in hemodialysis-dependent patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 09 27;21(3):397. Epub 2018 Jun 27.

Division of Cardiothoracic Transplant and Assist Devices, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.

J Artif Organs 2018 Dec 25;21(4):405-411. Epub 2018 Jun 25.

Department of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Cooperative Unit of Medicine and Engineering Research, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.

Currently, we use the Nipro paracorporeal VAD (p-VAD) for initial short-term ventricular support, as a bridge to decision (BTD) or a bridge to candidacy (BTC) treatment, in Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) levels 1 and 2 patients. However, it is possible that compared to patients with primary implantable-VADs (P-iVAD), the bridge-to-bridge (BTB) patients are more likely to develop complications. This retrospective study used data from 24 consecutive BTB patients who were initially implanted with Nipro p-VAD as BTD or BTC treatments between April 2011 and March 2016, and subsequently underwent conversion to an i-VAD. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Jun 25. Epub 2018 Jun 25.

Department of Cardiac Surgery, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, 5-7-1 Fujishirodai, Suita, Osaka, 565-8565, Japan.

Lower limb ischemia with an occlusive cannula is a potential complication of minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS). We evaluated intraoperative local oxygen supply-demand balance by monitoring regional saturation of oxygen (rSO) using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and analyzed the correlation between cannula size and fluctuation range of rSO. Fifty-four patients undergoing MICS surgery using femoral artery cannulation from April 2015 to August 2016 were enrolled. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Jun 25. Epub 2018 Jun 25.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-0856, Japan.

Treating a patient with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia can be challenging particularly when the patient requires urgent cardiac surgery that uses heparin for anticoagulation. We herein report a case of a 61-year-old man with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy associated with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and who underwent plasma exchange to remove heparin-induced thrombocytopenia antibodies before undergoing left ventricular assist device implantation. The surgery was performed using cardiopulmonary bypass and unfractionated heparin. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Dec 20;21(4):412-418. Epub 2018 Jun 20.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0375, Japan.

Regional cerebral oximetry using near-infrared spectroscopy devices is commonly used for detecting cerebral ischemia during cardiopulmonary bypass, and aim to avoid poor cerebral perfusion which may result in perioperative neurological impairment. Today, several devices that can detect cerebral ischemia are commercially available. Although these devices operate on the same measurement principles, their algorithms for detecting and calculating cerebral ischemia are different and no criteria for directly comparing values measured by such different devices exist. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Dec 2;21(4):475-478. Epub 2018 Jun 2.

Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an emerging tool for supporting cardiopulmonary function in patients with cardiorespiratory failure or arrest. The oxygenator of the ECMO circuit requires effective oxygenation and removal of carbon dioxide from the blood. Major problems that can occur with the oxygenator include plasma leakage, one of the late-onset serious complications necessitating device replacement. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Dec 21;21(4):458-461. Epub 2018 May 21.

Division of Cardiothoracic Transplant and Assist Devices, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have become the standard therapy for patients with end-stage heart failure, and the use of LVADs for long-term support has grown exponentially over the past decade. As the number of LVAD implantations has increased, surgeons have faced more challenging cases, such as those in which the patient has previously undergone a sternotomy. The HeartMate II is one of the most widely implanted LVADs. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Dec 17;21(4):471-474. Epub 2018 May 17.

Department of Intensive Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

A 29-year-old woman presented with influenza A ARDS at 23 weeks of gestation. Mechanical ventilation failed and VV-ECMO was started in a non-ECMO hospital. Transportation was performed on ECMO. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 May 15. Epub 2018 May 15.

Division of Cardiothoracic Transplantation and Circulatory Support, Baylor College of Medicine, 6720 Bertner Ave., Houston, TX, 77030, USA.

Continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVADs) are increasingly being used to treat advanced, refractory chronic heart failure. Herein, we sought to determine the incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in axial-flow (HeartMate II; HM-II) and centrifugal-flow (HVAD) CF-LVAD recipients, as well as the effect of AKI on mortality. The study cohort comprised 520 patients who received a HM-II (n = 398) or HVAD (n = 122) at our center between November 2003 and March 2016. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 May 15. Epub 2018 May 15.

Department of Internal Medicine V, Pneumology, Allergology, and Critical Care Medicine, Saarland University Medical Center, 66421, Homburg, Germany.

Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (vvECMO) is increasingly used as rescue therapy in severe respiratory failure. In patients with pre-existent lung diseases or persistent lung injury weaning from vvECMO can be challenging. This study sought to investigate outcomes of patients transferred to a specialized ECMO center after prolonged ECMO therapy. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 May 14. Epub 2018 May 14.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.

The postoperative care of animals implanted with mechanical circulatory support devices is complex. The standard of care requires continuous monitoring of hemodynamic parameters post implant, wound care, and maintenance of the animal's well-being, but also includes controlling the animal's biomechanics under conditions of continuous restraint and harnessing. In such studies, a harness provides secure fixation of the exteriorized device driveline and pressure lines and aids animal handling (lifting, position adjustment, and assistance with standing up). Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 May 12. Epub 2018 May 12.

Department of Mechanical Engineering, POSTECH, Pohang, 790-784, Republic of Korea.

This study evaluated the possibility of tracheal reconstruction with allograft, pig-to-rabbit fresh xenograft or use of a tissue-engineered trachea, and compared acute rejection of three different transplanted tracheal segments in rabbits. Eighteen healthy New Zealand White rabbits weighing 2.5-3. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Sep 19;21(3):378-382. Epub 2018 Apr 19.

Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.

The pathogenesis in the exacerbation of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) involves mainly the serum anti-aquaporin-4 (AQP4) immunoglobulin G antibody (anti-AQP4 antibody). If high-dose corticosteroid treatment is not achieved during remission, rescue plasmapheresis is recommended. However, there are few reports on the therapeutic efficacy of repetitive immunoadsorption plasmapheresis (IAPP) for the recurrent exacerbation of NMOSD with a fluctuating anti-AQP4 antibody level. Read More

J Artif Organs 2018 Sep 13;21(3):278-284. Epub 2018 Apr 13.

University of Michigan School of Nursing, 400 North Ingalls Building Suite 4336, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2003, USA.

The impact of sleep on LVAD patients' self-care behaviors is unknown. This study examined the patterns and changes of patients sleep quality (SQ), daytime sleepiness (DS), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), and self-care capability (SCC) before and after LVAD. In addition, the relationships among these variables were explored. Read More