Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2019; 67(S 01): S1-S100
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1679012
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Monday, February 18, 2019
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Effects of Levosimendan Therapy in Patients Undergoing Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation after Cardiac Surgery

H. Deschka
1   Department für Herz- und Thoraxchirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Münster; Klinik für Herzchiruirgie, Münster, Germany
,
B. Schäfers
1   Department für Herz- und Thoraxchirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Münster; Klinik für Herzchiruirgie, Münster, Germany
,
A. Gottschalk
2   Department of Anästhesiology and Pain Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Münster, Münster, Germany
,
M. Scherer
1   Department für Herz- und Thoraxchirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Münster; Klinik für Herzchiruirgie, Münster, Germany
,
S. Martens
1   Department für Herz- und Thoraxchirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Münster; Klinik für Herzchiruirgie, Münster, Germany
,
H. Welp
1   Department für Herz- und Thoraxchirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Münster; Klinik für Herzchiruirgie, Münster, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
28 January 2019 (online)

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Background: The impact of levosimendan treatment on clinical outcome in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support after cardiovascular surgery is unclear. We therefore studied the impact of levosimendan treatment on survival and failure of ECMO weaning in patients after cardiovascular surgery.

Methods: We enrolled a total of 275 patients undergoing veno-arterial ECMO therapy after cardiovascular surgery into our observational single-center registry.

Results: In group A (198 patients), levosimendan was not applied. Group B (78 patients) received levosimendan therapy at least 24 hours before the start of ECMO weaning. Statistical analysis revealed that patients in group B were significantly (p = 0.005) older and underwent CABG significantly more often (p = 0.006). After a comparable duration of ECMO support (group A: 7.2 ± 27.2 days; group B: 9.9 ±7.8 days), weaning rate of the levosimendan group was higher (68.8 vs. 57.1%) but did not reach statistical relevance (p = 0.073).

Regarding midterm survival, no significant difference could be found too (836 ± 92 days vs. 612 ± 105 days; p = 0.077).

Conclusions: These data suggest that levosimendan treatment may facilitate ECMO weaning but does not have a positive impact on survival in patients undergoing ECMO support after cardiovascular surgery.