Continuous-flow left ventricular assist device support in patients with advanced heart failure: points of interest for the daily management.

Today, continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (cf-LVADs) are implanted more often in patients with end-stage heart failure. Because of greater durability they can be implanted for an extended period of time. As a result of increased numbers of patients on cf-LVAD support, healthcare professionals should be aware of the potential complications inherent to this therapy. Both bleeding and thrombosis may occur, and also complications related either to the device itself or to the ensuing altered haemodynamics, valvular pathology, and rhythm disturbances such as ventricular tachycardias and fibrillation. Accurate clinical evaluation, together with an electrocardiogram and, if necessary, combined with an echocardiogram, is obligatory in these situations. This review summarizes common complications complemented by a few clinical cases.

State of the art: implantable ventricular assist devices.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The first generation of implantable pulsatile ventricular assist devices (VADs) has proven to be successful as bridge to transplantation. Adverse events such as mechanical failure and infections, however, limit their use for long-term support (>1 year) or as alternative for heart transplantation. Newer second generation of nonpulsatile VADs shows less of such limitations. RECENT FINDINGS: As bridge to transplantation, we have seen a switch from pulsatile volume-displacement devices, like the HeartMate XVE LVAS and Novacor left ventricular assist device (LVAD), (first generation) to continuous flow devices like the HeartMate 2 and Berlin Heart Incor (second generation). These devices are smaller, quiet and mechanically more durable. Better long-term survival, lower infection rates, excellent mechanical durability and acceptable quality of life together with shortage of donor organs led also to an increasing usage of these devices as alternative to transplantation. Recent studies show in this respect encouraging results, with actuarial survival rates at 1 and 2 years of 70% or higher. Another result of long-term cardiac support is a bridge to recovery. Initial results of even smaller implantable centrifugal pumps like the HeartWare VAD are promising. SUMMARY: An overview of recent developments in mechanical circulatory support is presented.

Guidelines for heart transplantation.

Based on the changes in the field of heart transplantation and the treatment and prognosis of patients with heart failure, these updated guidelines were composed by a committee under the supervision of both the Netherlands Society of Cardiology and the Netherlands Association for Cardiothoracic surgery (NVVC and NVT).THE INDICATION FOR HEART TRANSPLANTATION IS DEFINED AS: 'End-stage heart disease not remediable by more conservative measures'.CONTRAINDICATIONS ARE: irreversible pulmonary hypertension/elevated pulmonary vascular resistance; active systemic infection; active malignancy or history of malignancy with probability of recurrence; inability to comply with complex medical regimen; severe peripheral or cerebrovascular disease and irreversible dysfunction of another organ, including diseases that may limit prognosis after heart transplantation.Considering the difficulties in defining end-stage heart failure, estimating prognosis in the individual patient and the continuing evolution of available therapies, the present criteria are broadly defined. The final acceptance is done by the transplant team which has extensive knowledge of the treatment of patients with advanced heart failure on the one hand and thorough experience with heart transplantation and mechanical circulatory support on the other hand. (Neth Heart J 2008;16:79-87.).

Left ventricular assist device: a functional comparison with heart transplantation.

BACKGROUND: A growing number of patients with end-stage heart failure undergo implantation of ventricular assist devices as a bridge to heart transplantation. OBJECTIVES: In this study we investigated whether functional and haemodynamic recovery after implantation is sufficient to warrant the use of them as long-term alternative to heart transplantation. METHODS: We compared peak VO(2) of a group of patients three months after implantation of a ventricular assist device and three months after heart transplantation. Furthermore, we analysed the degree of haemodynamic recovery, by comparing plasma levels of BNP and creatinine before and after implantation of the device. RESULTS: After implantation of a ventricular assist device, exercise capacity improved considerably; three months after implantation peak VO(2) was 20.0+/-4.9 ml/kg/min (52% of predicted for age and gender). After heart transplantation exercise capacity improved even further; 24.0+/-3.9 ml/ kg/min (62% of predicted for age and gender) (p<0.001). In the three months after implantation, BNP plasma levels decreased from 570+/-307 pmol/l to 31+/-25 pmol/l and creatinine levels decreased from 191+/-82 mumol/l to 82+/-25 mumol/l, indicating significant unloading of the ventricles and haemodynamic recovery. CONCLUSION: With regard to functional and haemodynamic recovery, the effect of implantation of a ventricular assist device is sufficient to justify its use as an alternative to heart transplantation. (Neth Heart J 2008;16:41-6.).

Left ventricular assist device as a bridge to recovery in a young woman admitted with peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) are an effective therapeutic option for end-stage heart failure patients as a bridge to cardiac transplantation in those who deteriorate despite maximal therapy and when a donor heart is not ready available. In some patients, cardiac recovery has been reported while supported by an LVAD. In this case report, we describe a 29-year-old female who was admitted to our centre because of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM). Despite intensive treatment with intravenous inotropes and intra-aortic balloon counter-pulsation she had a persisting low cardiac index and an LVAD was implanted. In the months following implantation the left ventricular systolic function improved and the left ventricular dimensions normalised. Eventually the LVAD could be ex-planted nine months after implantation. At this moment, three years after explantation, echo-cardiography shows a normal-sized left ventricle and almost completely recovered systolic function. (Neth Heart J 2008;16:426-8).

End-stage heart failure and mechanical circulatory support: feasibility of discharge from hospital.

BACKGROUND.: Due to the shortage of donor hearts, mechanical circulatory support is increasingly being used as a bridge to transplantation. In order to allow for more widespread use of ventricular assist devices it is mandatory that patients are not continuously hospitalised. We present the results of our experience with patients with end-stage heart failure, discharged from hospital after implantation of a ventricular assist device and followed in an outpatient setting. METHODS.: After an intensive training and education programme, focusing on the management of the percutaneous driveline and instructions on how to handle in case of an alarm or malfunction of the device, patients were discharged. They were followed in the outpatient department. All regular and unplanned visits were registered, including readmissions. RESULTS.: Twenty-seven patients treated with a ventricular assist device were discharged from hospital. There were 37 extra visits, of these, 27 were device related resulting in 21 readmissions (0.78/patient). We treated eight infectious episodes in four patients, all device related. Furthermore seven thromboembolic episodes occurred in four patients. One patient died because of multiorgan failure seven weeks after he was readmitted with an urosepsis. In our experience of 11.4 patient years at home while on the device, only 5% of the time was spent in hospital for complications. In comparison with patients on an assist device who stayed in hospital until transplantation, there were no more complications. CONCLUSION.: This study demonstrates that patients with end-stage heart failure, treated with a ventricular assist device, can be safely discharged from hospital, with an acceptable rate of readmissions. It results in a fair quality of life, with a high degree of independence of the patient. (Neth Heart J 2007;15:45-50.).

Peri-operative management of an adult patient with type 2N von Willebrand's disease scheduled for coronary artery bypass graft.

We describe a patient with type 2N von Willebrand's disease scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass graft for severe three-vessel coronary artery disease with involvement of the left main stem. He was given a pre-operative bolus of 3000 IU factor VIII/Willebrand factor concentrate (approximately 40 IU.kg(-1)), followed by a continuous infusion of 3 IU.h(-1) (228 IU.h(-1)) before undergoing coronary surgery with full heparinisation and cardiopulmonary bypass. There were no intra-operative bleeding complications and only one unit of packed red blood cells was required postoperatively. Thromboprophylaxis with low-molecular weight heparin and aspirin was given and the infusion of factor VIII/von Willebrand factor concentrate continued for 2 days. As a result of haematological monitoring, heparin therapy was changed from prophylactic to therapeutic on day 5-6 and stopped on day 7.

Heart transplantation in the Netherlands: quo vadis?

Heart transplantation is limited by the lack of donor organs. Twenty years after the start of the Dutch transplant programmes in Rotterdam and Utrecht the situation has even worsened, despite efforts to increase the donor pool. The Dutch situation seems to be worse than in other surrounding countries, and several factors that may influence donor organ availability and organ utilisation are discussed. The indications and contraindications for heart transplantation are presented, which are rather restrictive in order to select optimal recipients for the scarce donor hearts. Detailed data on donor hearts, rejected for transplantation, are shown to give some insight into the difficult process of dealing with marginal donor organs. It is concluded that with the current low numbers of acceptable quality donor hearts, there is no lack of capacity in the two transplanting centres nor is the waiting list limiting the number of transplants. The influence of our current legal system on organ donation, which requires (prior) permission from donor and relatives, is probably limited. The most important determinants of donor organ availability are: 1. The potential donor pool, consisting of brain dead victims of (traffic) accidents and CVAs and 2. Lack of consent to a request for donation. The potential donor pool is remarkably small in the Netherlands, due to relatively low numbers of (traffic) accidents, with an almost equal number of CVA-related brain dead patients compared with neighbouring countries. Lack of consent can only be pushed back by improved public awareness of the importance of donation and improved skills of professionals in asking permission in case there is no previous consent.

Adolescent with occluded left main coronary artery.

Here we report unexpected findings in a 17-year-old female patient referred for coronary angiography and percutaneous intervention. During the angiography we observed a complete occlusion of the left main coronary artery (LMCA). The occurrence of coronary abnormalities at this age is extremely rare and mostly caused by congenital abnormalities. The diagnosis of premature atherosclerosis at this age is unlikely unless the patient suffers from severe lipoprotein disease. Here we describe a rare case of LMCA occlusion, the most likely cause of the disease and the potential implications for therapy.

Left ventricular assist device as bridge to transplantation in patients with end-stage heart failure: Eight-year experience with the implantable HeartMate LVAS.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) as bridge to heart transplantation (HTx) in patients with end-stage heart failure. METHOD: Between March 1993 and December 2001, 38 patients with refractory end-stage heart failure underwent HeartMate LVAD (Thoratec, Pleasanton Calif.) implantation. RESULTS: A total of 33 of the 38 patients (87%) survived the implantation and perioperative period. There were five perioperative deaths (13%), two due to right ventricular failure, two as a result of bleeding and one probably due to septic shock at the time of LVAD implantation. Three patients (9%) died late in the postoperative period due to septic shock, mechanical failure of the device and a cerebral embolus resulting from LVAD endocarditis, initiated by an acute cholecystitis. Twelve patients (32%) had one or more infectious episodes during long-term assist, of which one patient died. Four patients are still on the device, waiting for a heart transplantation. Twenty-six patients (76%) underwent HTx after 206±129 days of support. CONCLUSION: These results show the efficacy of LVAD support as a bridge to heart transplantation in patients with end-stage heart failure. Major long-term complications are infections and mechanical failure of the device.

Successful aortic valve replacement in a patient with AIDS.

In trying to assess the benefit of cardiac surgery in AIDS patients, the question arises whether a patient with a deficient immune system can tolerate open heart surgery well enough to make the operation worthwhile. Surgical procedures and cardiopulmonary bypass have been noted to alter immune function (Diettrich et al., Ide et al.). Therefore, the presence of clinical AIDS is often still regarded as a contraindication to cardiac surgery. In this report we describe an AIDS patient who developed endocarditis of the native aortic valve. The endocarditis was successfully treated with antibiotic drugs, but the patient was left with damaged valves. Over the months he developed a massive aortic insufficiency and underwent aortic valve replacement. The patient did well after surgery, and is alive and well 18 months after the operation, suggesting that cardiac surgery might be a good and valuable treatment option in AIDS patients.

Exercise performance in patients with end-stage heart failure after implantation of a left ventricular assist device and after heart transplantation: an outlook for permanent assisting?

OBJECTIVES: We sought to study exercise capacity at different points in time after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation and subsequent heart transplantation (HTx). BACKGROUND: The lack of donor organs warrants alternatives for transplantation. METHODS: Repeat treadmill testing with respiratory gas analysis was performed in 15 men with a LVAD. Four groups of data are presented. In group A (n = 10), the exercise capacities at 8 weeks and 12 weeks after LVAD implantation were compared. In group B (n = 15), the data at 12 weeks are presented in more detail. In group C (n = 9), sequential analysis of exercise capacity was performed at 12 weeks after LVAD implantation and at 12 weeks and one year after HTx. In group D, exercise performance one year after HTx in patients with (n = 10) and without (n = 20) a previous assist device was compared. RESULTS: In group A, peak oxygen consumption (Vo2) increased from 21.3+/-3.8 to 24.2+/-4.8 ml/kg body weight per min (p < 0.003), accompanied by a decrease in peak minute ventilation/ carbon dioxide production (VE/Vco2) (39.4+/-10.1 to 36.3+/-8.2; p < 0.03). In group B, peak Vo2 12 weeks after LVAD implantation was 23.0+/-4.4 ml/kg per min. In group C, levels of peak Vo2 12 weeks after LVAD implantation and 12 weeks and one year after HTx were comparable (22.8+/-5.3, 24.6+/-3.3 and 26.2+/-3.8 ml/kg per min, respectively; p = NS). In group D, there appeared to be no difference in percent predicted peak Vo2 in patients with or without a previous LVAD (68+/-13% vs. 74+/-15%; p < 0.37), although, because of the small numbers, the power of this comparison is limited (0.45 to detect a difference of 10%). CONCLUSIONS: Exercise capacity in patients with a LVAD increases over time; 12 weeks after LVAD implantation, Vo2 is comparable to that at 12 weeks and one year after HTx. Previous LVAD implantation does not seem to adversely affect exercise capacity after HTx.

High frequency of IL-4 producing helper T lymphocytes associated with a reduced incidence of heart allograft rejection.

The reduction in the frequency of rejection episodes several months after heart transplantation (HTX) correlates with the development of donor-specific nonresponsiveness. This is reflected in a reduced frequency of donor-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTL) in the peripheral blood. We investigated whether the reduced CTL frequency and the incidence of rejection episodes coincided with a change in the frequency of either IL-2- or IL-4-producing helper T lymphocytes (HTL). We measured the frequency of HTL before and at several time points after HTX in the blood of ten recipients, using limiting dilution analysis for IL-2 and IL-4. In most patients, HTL frequencies dropped immediately after transplantation, but returned to pre-HTX values later after transplantation. No consistent decrease or increase in frequencies was observed long after HTX. In contrast to IL-2, the HTL frequencies for IL-4 before transplantation were significantly higher in patients without post-HTX rejection episodes requiring treatment than in patients with such episodes. This phenomenon was observed for the in vitro responses towards both donor and third-party cells. In conclusion, relatively high frequencies of IL-4-producing T cells may have a beneficial effect on the outcome of human heart transplantation, because they are associated with a reduced incidence of rejection episodes after transplantation.

Comparison of functional capacity in patients with end-stage heart failure following implantation of a left ventricular assist device versus heart transplantation: results of the experience with left ventricular assist device with exercise trial.

BACKGROUND: Use of a permanent left ventricular assist device (LVAD) has been proposed as an alternate treatment of patients with end-stage heart failure. The purpose of this study was to compare the functional capacity of patients following implantation of a LVAD vs heart transplant (HTx). METHODS: Eighteen patients from 6 centers who received an intracorporeal LVAD as a bridge to HTx underwent treadmill testing 1 to 3 months post-LVAD and again post-HTx. Baseline and peak measurements, including oxygen consumption, blood pressures, and respiratory rate were made during each treadmill test. RESULTS: Peak oxygen consumption was 14.5+/-3.9 ml/kg/minute post-LVAD and 17.5+/-5.0 ml/kg/minute post-HTx (p < .005). The percentage of the predicted peak oxygen consumption based on gender, weight, and age was 39.5%+/-5.5% post-LVAD and 47.7%+/-10.9% post-HTx (p < .005). Exercise duration was lower post-LVAD than post-HTx (10.3+/-4.2 minute vs 12.5+/-5.4 minute, p < .05). After LVAD implantation, peak total oxygen consumption correlated with peak LVAD rate and output. Eight patients reached an LVAD rate of 120 beats per minute (bpm) before the conclusion of exercise, the maximum rate for the outpatient electric device. The peak respiratory exchange ratio post-LVAD was 1.15+/-0.22 and post-HTx was 1.15+/-0.18, consistent with a good effort in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients demonstrated a lower functional capacity post-LVAD than post-HTx. For some patients functional capacity post-LVAD may be improved by a higher maximum LVAD rate and output.

[Successful pregnancy after heart transplantation]. / Geslaagde zwangerschap na harttransplantatie.

A 32-year-old woman underwent heart transplantation after having suffered two myocardial infarctions, the first when parturition was pharmacologically induced, the second during diagnostic catheterization. Three years after the heart transplantation she became pregnant three times. In the first two pregnancies therapeutic abortion was performed because of trisomy-21. The third pregnancy was uneventful until week 36. At that time labour was induced because of signs of pre-ecclampsia. A healthy boy was born with normal physical and psychological development after four years. In pregnancy after heart transplantation teratogenic effects of the medication have not been described. The main problems are hypertension and pre-eclampsia in the mother and prematurity and low birth weight in the newborn. A major problem is the limited life expectancy after heart transplantation due to which a patient will only rarely see his or her child grow up into adulthood.

Embracing the heart: perioperative management of patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting using the octopus tissue stabilizer.

OBJECTIVE: To describe hemodynamic alterations during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) without extracorporeal circulation using the Octopus Tissue Stabilizer, and to describe the two anesthetic management protocols based on either general anesthesia with opioids (34 patients) or general anesthesia with high thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA; 66 patients). DESIGN: A prospective observational report. SETTING: An academic university heart center. PARTICIPANTS: First 100 patients undergoing CABG using the Octopus Tissue Stabilizer. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN RESULTS: Current management provided satisfactory results in preventing hypoperfusion of the heart and inadequate systemic circulation without the use of major pharmacologic interventions. Movement of the heart to reach the target site of anastomosis caused hemodynamic alterations. These could easily be corrected by anesthetic interventions, such as fluid load and low doses of inotropes. High TEA allows earlier extubation compared with the opioid anesthesia technique (0.9 v 4.5 hours). Perioperative management and the incidence of postoperative complications did not differ between anesthetic techniques. Major complications, such as death, intraoperative myocardial infarction, and stroke, did not occur. CONCLUSION: Both anesthetic protocols are safe and effective in handling these patients. Off-pump CABG surgery requires anesthetic interventions because hemodynamic alterations are caused by the presentation of the heart to the surgeon. The complication rate is low but needs to be evaluated, compared with conventional CABG, in a prospective randomized study. High thoracic epidural anesthesia allows early recovery, but improved outcome could not be proved in this patient group.