Hemodynamic transesophageal echocardiography after left ventricular assist device implantation.

OBJECTIVE: The authors hypothesized that the clinical profile of patients undergoing hTEE after continuous flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) implant would be in patients with greater acuity, more blood product utilization, and longer length of ICU stay, and that hTEE would change clinical management. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: University hospital. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred consecutive patients receiving a CF-LVAD. INTERVENTIONS: Retrospective review using a standardized electronic form of a miniaturized disposable transesophageal echocardiography probe that documented not only physical findings but also changes in hemodynamic management (hTEE) in CF-LVAD patients. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of the 100 patients, 41 received an hTEE probe. The INTERMACS score, Leitz-Miller Score, and Kormos score indicated the hTEE group had a statistically significant greater risk of morbidity and mortality. Interoperatively, the hTEE group received more blood products and was more likely to have an open chest. Postoperatively, the hTEE group received more blood products, had a longer total length of stay, and had increased mortality. ICU length of stay, days on inotropes and days on mechanical ventilation were not statistically significant between the 2 groups. Information obtained from hTEE changed ICU management in 72% of studies. CONCLUSION: Retrospective review of CF-LVAD patients revealed that postoperative hTEE is used in sicker CF-LVAD patients and frequently leads to changes in ICU clinical management.

Immediate recovery of acquired von Willebrand syndrome after left ventricular assist device explantation: implications for heart transplantation.

All patients supported with continuous flow-left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVADs) develop acquired von Willebrand syndrome due to the loss of von Willebrand factor (vWF) high molecular weight (HMW) multimers and this phenomenon has been associated with clinical manifestation of bleeding diatheses. The precise timing of postoperative recovery of HMW multimers and correction of this condition after CF-LVAD explantation and heart transplantation is unknown. We sought to determine the specific timing of HMW multimer recovery by serially quantifying plasma vWF multimer ratios after CF-LVAD explant and orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) in a patient implanted with a HeartWare ventricular assist device. Using densitometric analysis of multimer patterns, we demonstrated complete recovery of HMW multimers within the first few hours following CF-LVAD explant and OHT. These findings have critical implications in the context of perioperative bleeding diatheses in patients bridged to transplantation with a CF-LVAD.

Readmissions After Continuous Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation: Differences Observed Between Two Contemporary Device Types.

Readmissions after continuous flow left ventricular assist devices implantation are common. We compared the frequency and etiology of readmissions between two continuous flow left ventricular assist devices 6 months after implant. We retrospectively assessed readmissions in 81 patients who received a bridge to transplant HeartMate-II (HM-II) n = 35, 43% or HeartWare (HW) n = 46, 57%, from 2009 to 2014. Readmissions were divided into cardiac, infection, gastrointestinal bleeding, stroke, pump thrombosis, and miscellaneous profiles. Age, gender, creatinine, INTERMACS profiles were comparable between groups (p > 0.05). Sixty-one patients accounted for 141 readmissions. At 6 months, the overall readmission rate was higher among HM-II versus HW recipients (2.3 ± 1.7 vs. 1.4 ± 1.3; p = 0.024). Multiple readmissions (≥2) occurred more frequently in HM-II recipients (HM-II 23, 66% vs. HW 20, 44%; p = 0.047) which accounted for 87% of overall readmission frequency. Cardiac profile was the most common reason for readmission (HM-II = 15, HW = 17; p = 0.95). Readmission for arrhythmia (HM-II = 10, HW = 3; p = 0.021) and overall infection rate (0.49 ± 0.70 vs. 0.17 ± 0.68; p = 0.001) were more common among HM-II recipients; however, other readmission profiles were comparable between devices (p > 0.05). Readmission frequency, multiple readmissions, and clinical profile characteristics were different between HM-II and HW recipients.

In-hospital outcomes of a minimally invasive off-pump left thoracotomy approach using a centrifugal continuous-flow left ventricular assist device.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive left thoracotomy (MILT) and off-pump implantation strategies have been anecdotally reported for implantation of the HeartWare ventricular assist device (HVAD). We analyzed our experience with off-pump MILT implantation techniques and compared early in-hospital outcomes with conventional on-pump sternotomy (CS) implantation strategy. METHODS: Between January 2013 and February 2014, 51 patients underwent HVAD implantation and were included in this study. Thirty-three patients had CS, whereas 18 patients underwent off-pump MILT. To compare outcomes of these techniques, a multivariate analysis using propensity score modeling was performed after adjusting for age, INTERMACS, Kormos and Leitz-Miller (LM) scores. RESULTS: Mean age at implant was 57 (range 18 to 69) years, and overall in-hospital mortality was 8%. Univariate analysis revealed a statistically significant reduction in days on inotropes (p = 0.04), and a trend toward reduced intra-operative blood product administration (p = 0.08) in the MILT group. There was no difference in intensive-care-unit length of stay (p = 0.5), total length of stay (p = 0.76), post-operative blood product administration (p = 0.34) and total time on mechanical ventilation (p = 0.32). After adjusting for age, INTERMACS profile and Kormos and LM scores, no statistically significant differences were observed between the MILT and CS groups. CONCLUSIONS: An off-pump MILT implantation strategy can be utilized as a safe surgical approach for patients undergoing HVAD implantation. Further large collaborative studies are needed to identify advantages of the MILT approach.

Development of acquired von Willebrand syndrome during short-term micro axial pump support: implications for bleeding in a patient bridged to a long-term continuous-flow left ventricular assist device.

Percutaneous continuous-flow (CF) micro axial blood pumps, like the Impella 5.0, are commonly used for short-term (ST) mechanical circulatory support in patients with acute decompensated heart failure. The Impella device often serves as a bridge to implantation of a long-term (LT) CF left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD), such as the centrifugal-flow HeartWare (HVAD). All patients supported with axial CF-LVADs develop acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AVWS) as a result of mechanical shear stress. Increased shear stress leads to excessive proteolysis of von Willebrand factor and loss of high molecular weight multimers, thus contributing to platelet dysfunction and increased gastrointestinal bleeding. Bleeding events associated with AVWS have been reported in patients supported with LT CF-LVADs; however, the relation between early perioperative bleeding complications and AVWS remains poorly characterized in ST CF-LVADs. We sought to describe the relation between the development of AVWS and excessive intraoperative bleeding in a patient who was sequentially bridged with an ST micro axial device to a LT centrifugal CF-LVAD. This case highlights the importance of monitoring these hemostatic changes when bridging to LT CF-LVADs.

Perioperative blood product use: a comparison between HeartWare and HeartMate II devices.

BACKGROUND: The HeartWare (HW) (Framingham, MA) and the HeartMate II (HM II) (Thoratec Inc, Pleasanton, CA) continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVADs) are commonly used to bridge patients to transplantation. We hypothesized that there are differences in perioperative blood product (BP) use and chest tube (CT) output between CF-LVAD types. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated BP use in 71 patients who were implanted with a CF-LVAD (HM II = 38; HW = 33) by median sternotomy for bridge to transplantation (BTT) indications from 2009 to 2013. Detailed BP use data were collected during the intraoperative and postoperative periods and included packed red blood cells, platelets, fresh frozen plasma, and cryoprecipitate. RESULTS: Preoperative characteristics (age, left ventricular ejection fraction, previous sternotomy, ischemic cause), and risk stratification scores (Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support [INTERMACS]) profile, Leitz-Miller score, Kormos score) were comparable between groups (all p > 0.05). Total average intraoperative and postoperative BP use was different between device types: HW = 8.3 ± 13 versus HM II = 12.6 ± 14.0 units (p = 0.002) and HW = 6.1 ± 12.0 units compared with HM II = 13.5 ± 24.1 units (p = 0.022), respectively. Average postoperative CT output for HW (3,231 ± 3,648 mL) and HM II (3,463 ± 3,050) (p < 0.008) were different between device types. Multivariate analysis revealed that a higher preoperative Leitz-Miller score, implantation of an HM II CF-LVAD, previous sternotomy, and a longer duration of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time were independently associated with increased need for BP use, whereas only use of the HM II device and a longer bypass time predicted a greater CT output. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with HM II, implantation of the HW CF-LVAD was associated with reduced intraoperative and postoperative BP use and decreased CT output. Increased awareness of device-related differences in bleeding and BP use may improve CF-LVAD patient outcomes.