Comparison of left ventricular geometry after HeartMate II and HeartWare left ventricular assist device implantation

BACKGROUND HeartMate II (HM II) and HeartWare (HW) Left Ventricular Assist Devices have been successfully used in end-stage heart failure patients as a bridge to transplantation, recovery, or decision. We set out to compare their effect in off-loading the left ventricle and its geometry. METHODS The left ventricular end diastolic (LVEDD) and end systolic (LVESD) diameters were compared between first time HM II (n = 25) and HW implantations (n = 24) before and after the operation at 1, 3, and 6 months. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered as significant. RESULTS Post-operative LVEDD and LVESD at 1, 3, and 6 months were significantly reduced in comparison with pre-operative values in both HM II and HW groups. No significant difference was found comparing HM II and HW groups together before and after the operation. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that both HM II and HW can significantly reduce the left ventricular systolic and diastolic dimensions and off-load the left ventricle. The miniaturized nature of HW does not affect its performance and it could be as effective as HM II.