Conclusions
In this review of 533 patients requiring unplanned MCS following conventional cardiac surgical procedures, we observed a high rate of operative mortality and morbidity, with the highest rate of mortality in those supported with ECMO. Even though the majority survive the perioperative period, nearly half of the patients had died by one year. These findings suggest that continued surveillance and close follow-up of these patients is important to improving longitudinal outcomes in this challenging patient subset.