Decannulation of a Ventricular Assist Device

BECAUSE OF the donor organ shortage, an increasing number of patients with advanced heart failure are receiving ventricular assist devices (VADs) as a bridge to transplantation or as a destination therapy.1 Patients with advanced heart failure who receive a VAD have significantly greater survival rates compared with those who are treated with only medication.2 However, short- and long-term complications of VADs still are a major concern.3 There are perioperative risks attributed to patient comorbidities; risks of surgery and anesthesia; and postoperative risks such as bleeding, thrombosis, stroke, infection, right ventricular failure after left VAD (LVAD) implantation, and in extreme cases, multisystem organ failure.

Source: Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia - October 4, 2018 Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Tuan-Yen Wu Tags: Case Report Source Type: research