The Impella (Abiomed, Danvers, MA, USA) microaxial pump is a percutaneous mechanical circulatory support (MCS) that has been shown to increase coronary perfusion, reduce myocardial oxygen demand, and improve peripheral organ perfusion. Therefore, indications for the Impella device include emergency use for cardiogenic shock (CS) and pre-emptive implantation during high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention (HR-PCI). However, despite their exponential use in cardiovascular practice over the past decade, there is limited randomized evidence to support the benefits of this therapy and growing concern regarding complication rates. In this review, we summarize the principles, evidence, and practical considerations of the most widely used Impella CP percutaneous left ventricular support in both CS and HR-PCI settings, moving from the historical background to current issues and future expectations for this device.

BACKGROUND: Right heart catheterization plays a pivotal role in the preprocedural evaluation of patients considered for transcatheter tricuspid valve edge-to-edge repair. This study aimed to explore the potential impact of hemodynamic parameters obtained through right heart catheterization on patient-centered outcomes. METHODS: This study represents a subanalysis from the multicenter EuroTR registry (European Registry of Transcatheter Repair for Tricuspid Regurgitation). Patients with invasive hemodynamic data who underwent isolated transcatheter tricuspid valve edge-to-edge repair for significant tricuspid regurgitation were included. Outcomes of interest were a composite of 2-year all-cause death or hospitalization for heart failure (HFH) and a patient-centered composite of 6-month all-cause mortality, HFH, New York Heart Association class IV/worsening New York Heart Association class compared with baseline. Secondary outcome included postprocedural New York Heart Association class improvement. RESULTS: Seven hundred and eleven patients were included in the analysis. Two-year survival free from death and HFH was 63%. Optimal prognostic thresholds identified for death and HFH at 2 years were: mean pulmonary artery pressure≥32 mm Hg, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP)≥20 mm Hg, and pulmonary vascular resistance≥5 wood units (WU). The early patient-centered composite outcome occurred in 25% of cases. PCWP≥20 mm Hg was independently associated with an early clinical deterioration (hazard ratio, 2.77 [95% CI, 1.47–5.28]; P <0.001) and with 2-year death/HFH (hazard ratio, 1.75 [95% CI, 1.03–3.02]; P =0.04). No invasive parameter was associated with residual tricuspid regurgitation ≥3+. New York Heart Association class improved significantly throughout the follow-up ( P <0.001), although patients with elevated mean pulmonary artery pressure ( P =0.04) or PCWP ( P <0.01) experienced less symptomatic benefit. CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing transcatheter tricuspid valve edge-to-edge repair, invasive hemodynamics—especially elevated PCWP—are independently associated with early patient-centered outcomes and late adverse clinical events. Despite overall improvement of the functional status and no impact on residual tricuspid regurgitation, patients with higher mean pulmonary artery pressure or PCWP benefit less. These findings support the role of comprehensive right heart catheterization in preprocedural risk stratification. REGISTRATION: URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT06307262.

BACKGROUND: Evidence regarding prosthesis–patient mismatch (PPM), measured (mPPM), and predicted (pPPM), after transcatheter aortic valve replacement in bicuspid aortic valve stenosis remains limited. This study sought to evaluate the incidence, predictors, and prognostic implications of mPPM and pPPM in patients with Sievers type 1 bicuspid aortic valve undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement. METHODS: The AD-HOC registry is a retrospective, multicenter study including 781 patients with severe aortic stenosis and bicuspid aortic valve treated with transcatheter aortic valve replacement between 2016 and 2023 across 24 centers. PPM was defined according to Valve Academic Research Consortium-3 criteria. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Moderate-to-severe mPPM was more frequent than pPPM (22% versus 8%; P <0.001). Balloon-expandable valves were independently associated with both mPPM and pPPM, while smaller valve size and supra-annular sizing predicted only pPPM. During a mean follow-up of 621±470 days, neither mPPM nor pPPM was associated with mortality in the overall cohort. Among patients with a small annulus (≤430 mm ² ; n=145), pPPM occurrence was significantly higher (19% versus 5.5%; P <0.001) and was associated with increased all-cause mortality, but not with cardiovascular mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with Sievers type 1 bicuspid aortic valve undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement, pPPM occurred less frequently than mPPM and was predominantly driven by anatomic characteristics and sizing strategies. Although pPPM was associated with increased all-cause mortality among patients with small annuli, this association did not extend to cardiovascular mortality and should be considered hypothesis-generating. Further prospective investigations are warranted to better delineate the impact of anatomic constraints on clinical outcomes in this anatomically challenging subset.

Fulminant myocarditis (MF) is an acute onset, rapidly progressive and potentially fatal inflammatory cardiomyopathy which could manifests with cardiogenic shock and incessant arrhythmias. There is often a need for aminic or mechanical support to the circulation in the acute phase, waiting to obtain a histological diagnosis as quickly as possible to establish a specific therapy. Mortality in the acute phases is high, with a worse prognosis than in other forms of presentation of myocarditis, even in the long term. We report the case of a 45–year–old Asian woman suffering from autoimmune hypothyroidism, who had been reporting atypical chest pain for about 3 days, associated with fever, asthenia, and vomiting. On admission, the patient was in cardiogenic shock; an echocardiogram revealed biventricular dysfunction. Pulmonary embolism and acute coronary syndrome were excluded. Blood tests showed a significant troponin rise, neutrophilic leukocytosis, and hypertransaminasemia. Anti heart antibodies (AHA) were negative. Amine support with dobutamine and norepinephrine was then started. The first EKG showed an advanced atrioventricular block with a ventricular escape with the need for emergency temporary PM placement. Right heart catheterization showed pressures in the pulmonary circulation at the upper limits with average resistance and reduced cardiac index. An endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) was performed, subsequently complicated by cardiac tamponade due to lead displacement, treated with urgent pericardiocentesis. At the end of the procedure, the appearance of incoming episodes of complete BAV was highlighted, for which ICD implantation was performed. The biopsy showed virus–negative diffuse acute lymphocytic myocarditis. Cortisone therapy was therefore started, with immediate benefit, until the aminic support was suspended. A follow–up echocardiogram showed a complete recovery of normal biventricular function. In MF, early diagnosis, and the possibility of establishing specific therapy are crucial to reduce mortality. EMB is the only method that allows you to make an etiological diagnosis and exclude a possible infectious genesis. The patient‘s prognosis, in fact, in addition to supportive therapy, depends on the possibility of establishing a targeted treatment as soon as possible, which in virus–negative autoimmune forms consists of an immunosuppressive therapy modulated on the patient‘s histological type and clinic.