Metabolomics profiling for diagnosis of acute renal failure after cardiopulmonary bypass.

RATIONALE: Acute renal failure (ARF) is one of the most serious complications of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) surgery. Serum creatinine level is a key compound examined to understand whether renal function is normal. However, its level may vary based on age, gender, race, muscle mass, nutrition, and drugs taken by an individual. In addition, it may not be detected without a 50% reduction in renal function and may lead to delays in treatment. New markers are needed for early diagnosis of ARF. They were determined for early diagnosis of ARF after CPB. Metabolic differences in plasma samples of individuals who developed and did not develop ARF after cardiopulmonary bypass were determined. METHODS: This study was the first to perform an untargeted metabolomics analysis for early diagnosis of ARF after CPB surgery. Plasma samples were taken from 105 patients (9 ARF patients) at five time points to identify the time at which a more accurate ARF diagnosis can be made. A total of 687 samples, including quality control samples, were analyzed. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-six metabolites were identified using retention index libraries. Based on the statistical evaluations, tryptophan, threonine, and methionine were found in lower concentrations in patients with ARF compared to the control group at all time points. Whereas gluconic acid, hypoxanthine, and lactic acid showed a decreasing trend over time, longitudinal analysis showed that cysteine, hippuric acid, and uric acid levels increased over time in the ARF group. CONCLUSIONS: These metabolites are candidate biomarkers for early diagnosis of ARF as well as biomarkers for tracking the recovery of ARF patients.

Implantation of a fully magnetically levitated left ventricular assist device to a 3-year-old patient with body surface area of 0.57 m2.

Postoperative 3D thorax computed tomographic scan image of the patient.

A Stepwise Approach to Left Ventricular Assist Device Pump Thrombosis.

AIM: Pump thrombosis (PT) is a detrimental complication of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy. There is no consensus on optimal PT treatment. The aim of this study was to present a treatment strategy for patients with PT. METHOD: The hospital records of patients who underwent isolated LVAD implantation between May 2013 and October 2018 were retrospectively evaluated. Pump thrombosis was suspected in the setting of impaired flow/power parameters and haemolysis. Protocols for the management of suspected PT varied by patient presentation. Parameters that increased the PT risk were investigated by dividing the patients into two groups according to the presence of PT. Preoperative and operative data were analysed. RESULTS: Pump thrombosis was observed in 20 of 81 patients. All patients with PT presented elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels and higher power and/or low-/high-flow alarm at admission. All patients were treated initially with intravenous unfractionated heparin infusion; three patients did not require further treatment, one patient died due to sudden cardiac arrest, and three patients underwent urgent surgery for LVAD exchange. Thirteen (13) patients received tissue plasminogen activator infusion; eight were discharged without any signs of thrombosis, and three were bridged to transplant. One (1) major bleeding event leading to death was observed. Freedom from second PT was found in 91% cases at 6 months and in 68.2% at 1 year. We found that a larger left ventricle and the type of pump determined the risk of PT. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose thrombolytic therapy should be considered as a feasible treatment option for patients with PT.

Cerebrovascular events in children on intracorporeal continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices.

Continuous-flow intracorporeal left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVAD) are used more frequently in the pediatric population. One of the major complications of CF-LVAD is cerebrovascular events (CVEs). Limited information is available on this complication in pediatric patients. We hereby present our experience on CVEs in children under CF-LVAD support in our institution. A retrospective, single center review of 21 patients younger than 19 years of age who underwent CF-LVAD implantation between June 2014 and September 2018 was performed. Patients on biventricular support and extracorporeal devices were excluded. Cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs)-ischemic or hemorrhagic-were investigated. CVE was confirmed by brain computed tomographic scan. Of 21 pediatric patients, 11 were male. Mean BSA was 1.05 ± 0.41 m2 and mean age was 11.05 ± 4.07 years. Dilated cardiomyopathy was the leading cause of heart failure. The patients were implanted with HeartWare hVAD (n = 19), HeartMate II (n = 1), and HeartMate 3 (n = 1). Mean support time was 421 ± 448 (18-1460) days. Target international normalized ratio was between 2.5 and 3.0. Nine (43%) patients underwent transplantation, one patient recovered with subsequent device explantation. Four (17%) patients were still on support. One patient (5%) died in the early postoperative period and six (28%) patients died on VAD support after a mean duration of 194 days. There were overall five cerebral hemorrhagic strokes in four patients (0.2 events per patient-year). CVA occurred between 250 and 1320 days (mean 600 days). No ischemic stroke was documented. Only one (20%) patient died after hemorrhagic stroke; the other three patients recovered and were discharged from the hospital with minor sequelae. Incidence of CVE in children on CF-LVAD is relatively low compared with adults on VAD and severity of stroke is milder than adult population.

Effects of continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices on cerebral hemodynamics.

Continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) reduce peak systolic flow, increase diastolic flow, and eliminate pulsatility of circulation. Altered blood flow may lead to a change in end-organ perfusion. Analysis of the flow dynamics of the arteries of end organs, such as the brain, may indicate whether an organ is perfused sufficiently. The aim of this study is to evaluate and identify the flow pattern changes of carotid (CA) and middle cerebral arteries (MCA) in LVAD patients and to compare with heart failure patients and healthy volunteers. Eighty-nine individuals were included in this cross-sectional study. Participants were divided into three groups: LVAD patients (n = 31), heart failure patients (n = 26), and healthy volunteers (n = 27). Carotid and transcranial Doppler ultrasonography were performed for all study groups for peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), pulsatility (PI), and resistive (RI) indices of CA and MCA. Flow dynamics were compared between the groups. Doppler ultrasonographic data were analyzed at a median 12 (3-47) months after LVAD implantation. CA-PSV was lower in LVAD group compared with the other two groups (P < .001), MCA-PSV of LVAD and heart failure groups were similar and lower than healthy volunteers (P < .05). The highest values for CA-EDV were found in the LVAD group (P < .05). MCA-EDV values were found to be lowest in heart failure group (P < .05). For PI and RI, in all CA and MCA, the LVAD group had lower indices compared with the other two groups (P < .001). In addition, MCA flow analysis in patients with LVADs was identified for the first time with this study.

Prediction of right ventricular failure after continuous flow left ventricular assist device implantation.

BACKGROUND: Right ventricular failure (RVF) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Prediction of this clinical situation in LVAD patients with different clinical scores is still an enigma. The aim of this study is to analyze the predictive power of clinical parameters and risk scores and their combinations to discriminate RVF after LVAD implantation. METHODS: A retrospective, single center review of 71 patients who underwent continuous flow-LVAD implantation between September 2013 and September 2016, was performed. RVF was defined as need for RVAD and/or administration of inotropic agents more than 14 days after LVAD implantation. Patients with and without RVF were divided into two groups and predictive power of the nine parameters (tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), Michigan score, Pennsylvania score, central venous pressure/pulmonary artery wedge pressure ratio (CVP/PCWP), and right ventricular stroke work index, pulmonary artery pulsatility index, CRITT score, ALMA score, European registry for patients with mechanical circulatory support (EUROMACS) right heart failure model and their combinations were analyzed to predict postoperative RVF. RESULTS: Of 71 patients, 21 had RVF after implantation. For the variables that can be used to discriminate between RVF and non-RVF groups, the diagnostic performance of the best cut-off points and tests was obtained using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Discrimination analysis was performed to determine the combinations of tests. For all single risk scores and parameters; the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was below 0.7 which is considered to be a poor level of discrimination except EUROMACS score (AUC: 0.789, P < .001) and CRITT score (AUC: 0.739, P = .004). AUC for the combination of TAPSE and Pennsylvania score was 0.722, combination of Michigan and Pennsylvania scores represented AUC of 0.732 in the analysis. The combination of TAPSE + Pennsylvania score was found to have the highest sensitivity (85%), whereas TAPSE + Michigan score + CVP/PCWP appeared as the most specific (97%) combination. CONCLUSION: EUROMACS and CRITT scores predict RVF with high discrimination after LVAD implantation. Although, no other single test predicts RVF ideally, combination of risk scores and parameters discriminate RVF acceptably.

Inhaled Iloprost and Oral Sildenafil Combination Therapy: Is it a Chance for Heart Transplant Candidacy?

BACKGROUND: Severe pulmonary hypertension is a risk factor for mortality, due to increased postoperative right ventricular failure, in a heart transplant patient. Elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) in heart transplant candidates can be reduced using a left ventricular assist device or medical therapy. This study analysed the effect of inhaled iloprost and oral sildenafil combination therapy (ilo-sil) on pulmonary haemodynamic parameters in patients with secondary pulmonary hypertension. METHODS: Between May 2011 and April 2014, 25 patients who were unresponsive to reversibility test and PVR >3.5 Wood units (WU) during right heart catheterisation were included in this study. After 6 months of oral sildenafil (3 × 20 mg/day) and inhaled iloprost (6 × 5 µg/day) combination therapy, second right heart catheterisations were performed and eligibility for heart transplant was evaluated. RESULTS: Repeat right heart catheterisation revealed that there was a significant decrease in the PVR from 5.4 ± 1.6 WU to 3.54 ± 2.5 WU (p<0.001), with trans-pulmonary gradient from 13.7 ± 5.6 to 11.46 ± 6.64 (p=0.042), and mean cardiac index (CI) increasing non-significantly from 1.45 ± 0.51 L/min/m2 to 1.82 ± 0.60 (p=0.157). The mean sPAP was initially 57.54 ± 14.79 mmHg and fell to 52.93 ± 16.83 mm Hg (p=0.03). Twenty (20) (80%) patients were enrolled in the waiting list since their PVR values decreased to <3.5 WU. Of these 20 patients, one had undergone heart transplant and four were bridged to transplant with mechanical circulatory support devices. CONCLUSIONS: After a decrease in PVR with ilo-sil combination therapy for patients with severe pulmonary hypertension, these patients may become candidates for heart transplant without bearing additional risk. Ilo-sil combination therapy could be a viable option with which to evaluate the reversibility of PVR.

HeartMate 3 implantation via left thoracotomy with descending aortic anastomosis.

Left ventricular assist device implantation through left thoracotomy with outflow anastomosis to the descending aorta is an uncommon approach, particularly in patients with previous sternotomies. However, this approach has certain advantages, such as better surgical outcomes and lower complication rates. Here, we report the technique adapted for HeartMate 3 implantation through left thoracotomy with descending aortic anastomosis.

Third Generation Ventricular Assist Device: Mid-Term Outcomes of the HeartWare HVAD in Pediatric Patients.

The HeartWare HVAD is a small, third generation continuous flow pump that is intracorporeally placed for support of a failing ventricle in adult patients. This device is small in size when compared to other left ventricular assist devices and can therefore be used in smaller sized pediatric patients. We present our initial experience using the HVAD as a bridge to heart transplantation in the pediatric population. We performed a retrospective, single center, nonrandomized review of 17 pediatric patients who underwent HVAD implantation between June 2013 and March 2016. The primary endpoints evaluated in this study were overall survival to heart transplantation, ongoing device support, or death. In this patient cohort, nine (53%) of 17 patients were male. The median age of the patients was 13.4 ± 3.8 (range 5-17) years. The median body surface area was 1.4 ± 0.4(0.7-2) m2 . Etiologies of heart failure requiring HVAD support were dilated cardiomyopathy (n = 8), myocarditis (n = 5) and noncompaction cardiomyopathy (n = 4). The overall mean length of HVAD support was 254 ± 298 (range 2-804) days. A successful outcome (bridge to transplant and ongoing mechanical support) was achieved in 13 patients (76.5%). Of the 13 patients, nine (69.2%) were bridged to heart transplantation and four continue to receive support (30.7%) and are eligible for transplantation. Post-transplant survival has been 100%, with a mean follow-up of 296 ± 264.5 (range 18-785) days. The most common complication was pump thrombosis (23.5%) in follow-up. Four patients (23.5%) experienced no complications. The HVAD continuous flow ventricular assist device can be safely used to bridge pediatric patients to cardiac transplantation. Favorable outcomes of this device are comparable to the adult population. This analysis demonstrated safe and effective implantation of the HVAD System in a child with a BSA of 0.7 m2 .

Is it Possible to Implant HeartMate 3 Less Invasively? New Pump, New Approach.

HeartMate 3 (HM3) left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is a compact, intrapericardial, centrifugal flow pump with a fully magnetically levitated rotor and a wide range of operation (2-10 L/min) to accommodate a broad range of clinical needs. We analyzed our experience with Heartware VAD (HVAD) and HM3 implantation through minimally invasive left thoracotomy (MILT) and upper minimal J sternotomy. Between March 2015 and October 2016, 31 patients who underwent LVAD implantation through MILT were included in this study. Twenty-three patients had HVAD (Group A) implantation, whereas 8 patients had HM3 (Group B). To compare outcomes of these pumps, measures were; mortality, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, duration of mechanical ventilatory support, blood loss and transfusion, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, right ventricular failure (RVF) and requirement of support with temporary devices, stroke, pump thrombosis, gastrointestinal bleeding and driveline infection rates. Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support profiles, Pennsylvania and Michigan Risk Scores, right ventricular stroke work index and central venous pressure/pulmonary capillary wedge pressure ratio did not differ between these two groups. There was no difference in the length of ICU stay (P = 0.056), post-operative blood product administration (P = 0.701), total time on mechanical ventilation (P = 0.386), RVF (P = 1) or duration of CPB (P = 0.836). In-hospital cerebrovascular event rate was 13% in Group A and 0% in Group B, respectively. The HM3 assist system can be successfully implanted with minimally invasive techniques. This technique has proved to be safe and reproducible, with good clinical outcomes. Further, large collaborative studies are needed to identify the advantages of this approach.

Effects of the AT1 receptor blocker candesartan on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion in isolated rat hearts.

BACKGROUND: We sought to investigate the effects of the angiotension II receptor blocker candesartan on ischemia-reperfusion injury using a cardioplegia arrested isolated rat heart model. METHODS: Ischemia-reperfusion injury was induced in isolated rat hearts with 40 minutes of global ischemia followed by a 30-minute reperfusion protocol. Throughout the experiment, constant pressure perfusion was achieved using a Langendorff apparatus. Cardioplegic solution alone, and in combination with candesartan, was administered before ischemia and 20 minutes after ischemia. Post-ischemic recovery of contractile function, left ventricular developed pressure, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and contraction and relaxation rates were evaluated. RESULTS: In the control group, left ventricular developed pressure, rate pressure product, contraction and relaxation rates and coronary flow significantly decreased but coronary resistance increased following reperfusion. With the administration of candesartan alone, parameters did not differ compared to controls. Contractile parameters improved in the group that received candesartan in combination with the cardioplegia compared to the group that received cardioplegia alone; however, the difference between these two groups was insignificant. CONCLUSION: In this study, the addition of candesartan to a cardioplegic arrest protocol routinely performed during cardiac surgery did not provide a significant advantage in protection against ischemia-reperfusion injury compared with the administration of cardioplegic solution alone.

Adaptation of adult right ventricular scoring systems to pediatric patients undergoing continuous LVAD implantation: Feasible or not?

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of adaptation of right ventricular (RV) risk scores used in adult patients to pediatric age group undergoing LVAD implantation. METHODS: Twenty-two pediatric patients who underwent LVAD implantation were retrospectively reviewed from January 2014 to September 2018. Preoperative patient characteristics, hemodynamic parameters, and echocardiographic data were collected. Adult RV risk scores were calculated for all patients. Effects of all the parameters on RV function were also investigated. Study endpoints were RVF and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Eleven (50%) of 22 patients were male. The mean age of the patients was 13.4 ± 3.8 years. The mean body surface area of the patients was 1.4 ± 0.4 m2. In five patients BiVAD implantation was performed. Of these five BiVAD patients two underwent successful heart transplant; two weaned from temporary RVAD and last patient died due to multi-organ failure. Four patients showed signs of early RVF; one patient was transplanted successfully while on medical support. Three patients developing RVF did not respond medical therapy necessitating ECMO and died in the early postoperative period. All risk scores and potential predictive factors were evaluated individually and in combination of several parameters. No significant predictor for RVF in pediatric patients that underwent LVAD implantation was found (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Neither an adult risk score nor a predictive factor was successful in predicting RVF, alone or in combination due to limited number of patients and events. Large further investigations are needed to identify the predictors or scoring system in pediatric population.

Off-pump implantation of left ventricular assist device via minimally invasive left thoracotomy: Our single-center experience.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare our experience of left ventricular assist device implantation via minimally invasive left thoracotomy with off-pump versus on-pump technique. Methods: Between June 2013 and April 2020, nine patients (8 males, 1 female; mean age: 47±11.9 years; range, 30 to 61 years) who underwent off-pump left ventricular assist device implantation and nine patients (8 males, 1 female; mean age: 47±11.4 years; range, 29 to 60 years) who underwent on-pump minimally invasive left thoracotomy were retrospectively analyzed. Postoperative outcomes and mid-term results of both groups were evaluated. Results: Outflow graft was anastomosed to the ascending aorta with J-sternotomy in all patients. The median duration of intubation and intensive care unit stay were one (IQR: 1.5) day and eight (IQR: 6.5) days in the off-pump group, respectively and one (IQR: 0) day and seven (IQR: 7) days in the on-pump group, respectively. Intra-aortic balloon pump was needed during the weaning of cardiopulmonary bypass in one (11%) of the patients in both groups. Postoperative right ventricular failure was observed in two (22%) patients in the offpump group who were treated medically and recovered. There was no need for revision due to bleeding or postoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenator implantation in either group. In the off-pump group, three patients underwent heart transplantation after median 854 (IQR: 960) days. Three patients died one month, two and four years after implantation. Three patients were still alive with left ventricular assist device and were being uneventfully followed for 365, 400, and 700 days after implantation. Conclusion: Off-pump technique is safe and feasible option for implantation of left ventricular assist device via minimally invasive left thoracotomy.

Should we touch tricuspid valve at the time of LVAD implantation? A young patient series.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study is to compare the results of patients who had moderate or severe tricuspid insufficiency (TI) at the time of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation that did not undergo intervention. METHODS: Between October 2013 and December 2019, 144 patients who did not undergo tricuspid valve repair (TVR) during LVAD implantation in our department were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups according to the TI grade; Group 1: 106 patients (73.6%) with moderate TI and Group 2: 38 patients (26.4%) with severe TI. All patients were evaluated for mortality, need of inotrope, blood product transfusion, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, and early and late right ventricular failure (RVF). Minimally invasive technique was favored in patients with worse right ventricular (RV) function to prevent the need for postoperative RV support and bleeding. RESULTS: The mean ages of the patients in the Group 1 and Group 2 were 46 ± 15 years (82% male), and 45 ± 11.2 years (81.5% males), respectively. Post-operative duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU stay, blood loss, and reoperations were similar (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in early RVF, pump thrombosis, stroke, bleeding, and 30-day mortality between groups (p > 0.05). Incidence of late RVF was higher in Group 2 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Although the risk of late RVF may increase in patients with preoperative severe TI, not intervening in TI during LVAD implantation does not cause adverse clinical outcomes in the early period.

CoronaVac, BNT162b2 and heterologous COVID-19 vaccine outcomes in patients with ventricular assist device.

BACKGROUND: A consensus has not yet been reached regarding which COVID-19 vaccine program should be applied in patients with ventricular assist device (VAD). Our aim was to assess the clinical outcome of inactivated, mRNA and heterologous vaccine program in patient with VAD. METHODS: In this retrospective and cross-sectional study; adult patients who underwent VAD implantation between January 2012 and September 2021 and received any vaccine that were used in Republic of Türkiye for COVID-19, were included. The patients were divided into three groups according to the type of vaccine; "inactivated," "mRNA" and "heterologous." Clinical outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: Eighteen patients were in each group in the "inactivated," "mRNA" and "heterologous" groups. Mean age was 51.6 ± 12 years in "inactivated" group, 42.5 ± 15.5 years in "mRNA" group and 41.1 ± 15.4 years in "heterologous" group. There was no significant difference between the groups in age, gender, body surface area, body mass index and etiology (p > 0.05). After last dose of vaccines, the number of patients had COVID-19 positive test were three (16.7%), one (5.6%), and two (11.1%) in "inactivated," "mRNA" and "heterologous" groups, respectively. Pump thrombosis was seen in two patients in "mRNA" group and one patient in "heterologous" group. No pump thrombosis was seen in "inactivated" group. COVID-19-related death or intubation was not observed. CONCLUSION: All vaccine that used for COVID-19 are safe and effective in patients with VAD. In countries that give priority to inactivated vaccines, mRNA vaccines may then be made as boosters.

Prolonged Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support as a Bridge to Heart Transplant.

Heart transplant is in high demand, but the wait list exceeds 6 months in Turkey. Until a donor heart can be procured, venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is an important support option to bridge patients on the wait list or as a rescue therapy for patients with right ventricular failure after implant of left ventricular assist device; it is less expensive than other options, provides benefits such as simple percutaneous insertion, and requires neither sternotomy nor biventricular and respiratory support. We present a case of a patient bridged to transplant with 5 months of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support.

Relationship Between Preoperative NT-proBNP and Postoperative Adverse Events in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Device.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship of preoperative NT-proBNP values with postoperative adverse events in patient left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. METHOD: Forty-six patients (35 males; mean age 49.4 ± 12.9 years) who underwent LVAD implantation between 2016 and 2018 were evaluated in this study. The analysis was made on the relationship between preoperative NT-proBNP and mortality, postoperative right ventricular failure (RVF), postoperative drainage, duration of intubation, and intensive care unit stay, was examined. The optimal NT-proBNP cut-off values for predicting mortality were determined using Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and the patients were divided into two groups according to the specified cut-off point. RESULT: Median NT-proBNP was higher in patients who died, had postoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and early RVF. The median NT-proBNP was 11,103 pg/ml in patients with IABP, and 2943 pg/ml in patients without IABP, and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.002). The cut-off point for NT-proBNP was found to be 1725.5 pg/ml (Sensitivity:0.929, Specificity:0.688). Accordingly, when the patients were divided into two groups and analyzed, no statistically significant difference was found between preoperative NT-proBNP below or above 1725.5 and postoperative adverse events. There was no statistically significant correlation between preoperative NT-proBNP and postoperative drainage, duration of intubation time, and duration of ICU stay (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Routine monitoring of preoperative NT-proBNP and comparison with postoperative values are important in terms of patient selection, the timing of surgery, follow-up of postoperative adverse events, and improving outcomes in VAD patients.

Does minimally invasive approach reduce risk of infection after ventricular assist device implantation?

BACKGROUND: We analyzed patients with left ventricular assist device (LVAD) related and specific infection, and aimed to determine whether surgical technique implantation affect the frequency of infection. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 99 patients who received LVAD at our department between June 2013 and June 2019. Patients were divided into two groups according to the surgical technique. Group A (n = 58) was conventional sternotomy (CS) and group B (n = 41) was on-pump minimally invasive left thoracotomy (MILT). Demographics, preoperative risk factors, LVAD infections, surgical incision site, driveline site, and outcomes were compared between these two groups. RESULTS: Mean follow up time was 589 ± 480 (31-2171) days. Infection was detected in 34% (41/99) of LVAD patients. Admission to emergency department and intensive care unit (ICU) in last 6 months were significantly higher in MILT group. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of driveline exit site infection (CS: 28%, MILT: 27%) (p > 0.05). Seven (17%) patients had infection in the thoracotomy incision site area in the MILT group. The rate of ICU hospitalization in the last 6 months was seen as the only independent risk factor increasing the frequency of infection (R = 0.30; p = 0.016). Survival analysis at 60 days, 1 year and 2 years showed no difference between the two groups (p = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS: Despite advances in pump technology and surgical technique, infection is still an important cause of mortality and morbidity.

Midterm Results of Minimally Invasive Left Thoracotomy Fully Magnetically Levitated Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation.

The aim of the study is to compare outcomes of the patients who underwent HeartMate3 (HM3) implantation with conventional sternotomy (CS) and minimally invasive thoracotomy technique (MILT). From June 2013 to April 2019, 50 patients who underwent isolated HM3 implantation were included. Patients were divided into two groups according to the operative technique; of 50 patients, 28 were implanted with CS and 22 with MILT. All patients were evaluated for mortality, need of inotrope, blood product transfusion, intensive care unit stay, time on mechanical ventilation, and postoperative right ventricular failure. Primary outcomes were early mortality and occurrence of adverse events. Patients characteristics were similar; preoperative central venous pressure (CVP) and the ratio of CVP to pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (CVP/PCWP) were significantly higher in the MILT group versus the CS group (p < 0.05). Intensive care unit stay was significantly shorter in the MILT group (p < 0.05). Incidence of bleeding requiring exploratory sternotomy and postoperative drainage on the first postoperative day were statistically higher in the CS group (p < 0.05). Right ventricular failure was higher in the CS group but was not statistically significant (p = 0.4). There was no significant difference in long-term adverse events. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed no difference between the groups (p = 0.66). The HM3 assist system can be successfully implanted with the MILT technique, which has proved to be safe and reproducible and yields good clinical outcomes.

More continuous flow, better learning? The effect of aortic valve opening in patients with left ventricular assist device.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze neurocognitive function in patients who underwent continuous flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This cross-sectional study included three groups: LVAD (n = 31), heart failure patients (n = 26), and healthy volunteers (n = 27). The Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Judgement of Line Orientation Test (JLOT), Trail Making Test (TMT), Stroop Color-Word Interference Test (SCWIT), Verbal Fluency Test (VFT), Symbol-Digit Modality Test (SDMT) were used to assess the neurocognitive functions. Data were analyzed at a median 12 (3-47) months after LVAD implantation. The LVAD patients were also divided by aortic valve opening (AVO) into three subgroups as "closed" (n = 9), "1-6" (n = 8) and "7-10" (n = 14) opening per ten beats and data were re-analyzed accordingly. RESULTS: There was no significant difference among the groups according to SCWIT, JLOT, SDMT, TMT, and VFT scores. Post-hoc analyzes of RAVLT scores showed significant differences between the LVAD and the other two groups in favor of the LVAD group. Also, the patients with AVO "7-10" the response times were longer and learning scores were found to be lower than those without AVO. CONCLUSION: With continuous-flow LVAD, neurocognitive functions were not impaired. The learning performance was better in cases where there was no AVO and flow was completely device dependent. We may speculate that neurocognitive functions are not worsening with continuous cerebral blood flow and even it may improve learning performance.