Thrombosis of the innominate artery during prolonged cardiac support by right transaxillary Impella 5.0 device

Abstract

We describe an unexpected complication in a 46-years-old man affected by ischemic cardiomyopathy who received a prolonged mechanical cardiac support by means of right transaxillary Impella 5.0. The postoperative course was complicated by recurrent septicemia from multi-durg resistant Acinetobacter baumanii. He underwent implantation of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation because of refractory cardiac arrest, followed by Impella removal that has been complicated by embolic stroke. The likely source of the embolus was a large thrombus inside the innominate artery. After a long-standing right transaxillary device implantation, particularly in patients with intercurrent septic episodes, a CT angiographic scan should be planned to exclude arterial thrombosis before removal of the transarterial device.