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Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Rep 2016; 05(01): 39-40
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1571286
Case Report: Cardiac
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Pimobendan in Chronic Right Heart Failure in a Left Ventricular Assist Device Patient

Maximilian Kreibich
1   Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Heart Centre Freiburg – Bad Krozingen, Freiburg, Germany
,
Michael Berchtold-Herz
1   Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Heart Centre Freiburg – Bad Krozingen, Freiburg, Germany
,
Friedhelm Beyersdorf
1   Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Heart Centre Freiburg – Bad Krozingen, Freiburg, Germany
,
Georg Trummer
1   Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Heart Centre Freiburg – Bad Krozingen, Freiburg, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

15 November 2015

14 December 2015

Publication Date:
29 January 2016 (online)

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Abstract

We report the case of a 76-year-old patient who developed chronic right heart failure 1 year after left ventricular assist device implantation due to ischemic cardiomyopathy. Initial recompensation was achieved through dobutamin, sildenafil, and levosimendan treatment. Yet, discharge was successful only after the off-label use of the oral calcium sensitizer pimobendan. Ten months after discharge, the patient presents with no clinical signs of right heart failure and significantly improved right heart function without any impairment in quality of life.

Keywords

circulatory assist devices - heart failure - right ventricle
 

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