DRIVELINE FRACTURES IN PATIENTS WITH LEFT VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICES: A STUDY OF CLINICAL COURSE AND OUTCOMES

Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Left€Ventricular Assist Devices

RESULTS Overall, AF was documented in 80 patients (32%) following LVAD placement. Before LVAD placement, 182 patients had no history of AF, whereas 67 patients had documented AF. Among these 67 patients, 56 (84%) continued to have AF following LVAD placement; 24 patients without a history of AF (13%) developed AF after LVAD placement. Patients manifesting AF after LVAD placement were more likel...

Hemodynamic Ramp Tests in Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

OBJECTIVES This study tested whether combined invasive hemodynamic and echocardiographic ramp tests can help optimize patient management. BACKGROUND Guidelines for optimizing speed and medications in continuous flow ventricular assist device (cfLVAD) patients are mainly based on expert opinion. METHODS Thirty-five cfLVAD patients (21 HeartMate II [Thoratec, Pleasanton, California] and 14 HV...

Management of patients treated with left ventricular assist devices

This thesis describes the management of patients treated with mechanical circulatory support devices for shortor long-term use. Twenty-four patients suffering from postcardiotomy heart failure were treated with a minimally invasive axial flow pump. The device was effective in unloading the failing left ventricle and in maintaining an adequate systemic circulation. The principles of perioperativ...

Caregivers of Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices

The 2013 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Guidelines for Mechanical Circulatory Support emphasize the importance of caregiver support for left ventricular assist device (LVAD) placement, recommending that a lack of support should serve as a relative contraindication to device placement. Despite the integral role that caregivers are expected to play, findings from studies...