Temporary extracorporeal support of the right ventricle.

Six patients having severe right ventricular failure after cardiac surgical procedures were treated temporarily with an extracorporeal pump to bypass the right ventricle. The initial operative procedures included coronary artery bypass procedures with and without concomitant valvular and aortic replacement. A Biomedicus centrifugal pump was used as the right ventricular assist device in most cases. The assist period ranged from 3 to 96 hours, and an intra-aortic balloon pump was used in five of the six patients. All patients initially responded to the right ventricular assist device, four were successfully weaned, and one patient is a long-term survivor. The use of a right ventricular assist device is not difficult or complicated and can be lifesaving for those patients having potentially reversible profound right ventricular failure.