Percutaneous balloon atrial septostomy on top of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation results in safe and effective left heart decompression

Transcatheter techniques are emerging for left atrial (LA) decompression under venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). We aimed to assess whether balloon atrioseptostomy (BAS) is a safe and efficient strategy. All patients who underwent percutaneous static BAS under VA-ECMO at four tertiary institutions were retrospectively reviewed. From 2000 to 2014, BAS was performed in 64 patients (32 adults and 32 children). Indications for ECMO support included acute myocarditis (31.3%) and non-myocarditis cardiac disease, mostly end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy (32.8%). BAS was required because of pulmonary oedema/haemorrhage and left ventricular (LV) distension. The mean balloon diameter was 21.8？±？8.4mm. Adequate LA decompression was achieved in all patients. Mean LA pressure fell from 24.2？±？6.9？mmHg to 7.8？±？2.6？mmHg (p？<？0.001). The left-to-right atrial pressure gradient fell from 17.2？±？7.1？mmHg to 0.09？±？0.5？mmHg (p？<？0.001). Echocardiography showed an unrestrictive left-to-right atrial shunting in all patients. Improvement of day？1 chest X-ray was observed in 76.6% of patients, clinical status in 98.4% of patients and pulmonary haemorrhage in 14 out of 14 patients. Complications occurred in 9.4% of patients, representing pericardial effusion, fast atrial fibrillation, ventricular fibrillation requiring defibrillation, transient complete heart block and femoral venous dissection requiring covered stent placement. In the 37 (57.8%) patients who were successfully decannulated, the median ECMO duration was 9 (range: 4–24) days. After a median follow-up of 12.3 (range: 0.1–142) months, 35.9% patients died, 17.2% received a LV assist device as a bridge to transplantation, 31.2% were transplanted and 56.2% were home discharged and alive. Percutaneous BAS may be a safe and efficient strategy for discharging the LA in both adults and children supported by VA-ECMO