Left Ventricular Assist Devices as Bridge to Cardiac Recovery in Nonischemic Heart Failure: Keeping Weaning from the Device in Mind

Ali Akil; Dieter Fischer; Alexander J. Holthaus; Sven Martens; Mirela Scherer; Jürgen R. Sindermann

doi:10.1055/s-0035-1570374

The Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeon, Table of Contents

Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2016; 64(06): 483-486
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1570374

Original Cardiovascular

Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Left Ventricular Assist Devices as Bridge to Cardiac Recovery in Nonischemic Heart Failure: Keeping Weaning from the Device in Mind

Authors

Ali Akil

¹Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
Dieter Fischer

²Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
Alexander J. Holthaus

¹Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
Sven Martens

¹Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
Mirela Scherer

¹Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
Jürgen R. Sindermann

¹Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany

Abstract

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Abstract

A minority of patients on left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) display myocardial recovery raising the question of device explantation. We report a series of seven LVAD patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy allowing explantation of the VAD. In case of four patients we overview follow-up periods of 4 to 10 years. Remarkably, in three cases device explantation was considered beyond 1 year of LVAD support. Explantation was finally performed after 20 months and more on the device. In light of the scarcity of donor organs we conclude that patients on LVAD support should be evaluated for possible weaning from the device on a regular basis.

Keywords

circulatory assist devices - LVAD - BVAD - cardiomyopathy - heart failure - transplantation - heart

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References

References
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