Left ventricular assist device as bridge to transplantation in patients with end-stage heart failure: Eight-year experience with the implantable HeartMate LVAS
To evaluate the use of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) as bridge to heart transplantation (HTx) in patients with end-stage heart failure. Between March 1993 and December 2001, 38 patients with refractory end-stage heart failure underwent HeartMate LVAD (Thoratec, Pleasanton Calif.) implantati...
Saved in:
Published in | Netherlands heart journal Vol. 10; no. 6; pp. 267 - 271 |
---|---|
Main Authors | , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Netherlands
01.06.2002
|
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
Cover
Loading…
Summary: | To evaluate the use of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) as bridge to heart transplantation (HTx) in patients with end-stage heart failure.
Between March 1993 and December 2001, 38 patients with refractory end-stage heart failure underwent HeartMate LVAD (Thoratec, Pleasanton Calif.) implantation.
A total of 33 of the 38 patients (87%) survived the implantation and perioperative period. There were five perioperative deaths (13%), two due to right ventricular failure, two as a result of bleeding and one probably due to septic shock at the time of LVAD implantation. Three patients (9%) died late in the postoperative period due to septic shock, mechanical failure of the device and a cerebral embolus resulting from LVAD endocarditis, initiated by an acute cholecystitis. Twelve patients (32%) had one or more infectious episodes during long-term assist, of which one patient died. Four patients are still on the device, waiting for a heart transplantation. Twenty-six patients (76%) underwent HTx after 206±129 days of support.
These results show the efficacy of LVAD support as a bridge to heart transplantation in patients with end-stage heart failure. Major long-term complications are infections and mechanical failure of the device. |
---|---|
Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 n.dejonge@azu.nl |
ISSN: | 1568-5888 1876-6250 |