Use of Impella RP for Acute Right Ventricular Failure Post-Pericardiectomy.

Abstract

Surgical pericardiectomy is the accepted treatment for patients with constrictive pericarditis. Right ventricular failure in patients that undergo pericardiectomy is a frequent complication due to sudden volume overload. Impella RP is used to bypass the right ventricle and tackle the transient right ventricular failure. It is implanted percutaneously and provides enough support to achieve haemodynamical stability and recover end-organ function. We report the case of a patient that developed acute right ventricular failure in the early postoperative period of a pericardiectomy. He underwent the implantation of an Impella RP in the setting of acute right ventricular failure and was successfully explanted after 6 days of support.