Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona 85054, USA.
Circulatory assist devices are an increasingly common method of treating patients with refractory cardiogenic shock. We describe a patient who was a heart transplant candidate with biventricular failure who underwent CardioWest total artificial heart-temporary (SynCardia Inc, Tucson, AZ) implantation with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation to manage the patient's subsequent respiratory failure. After respiratory and hemodynamic stabilization, the CardioWest total artificial heart-temporary served as a successful 62-day bridge-to-heart transplantation.