BVAD

BACKGROUND: We previously found temporoparietal-predominant atrophy patterns in the behavioral variant of Alzheimer's disease (bvAD), with relative sparing of frontal regions. Here, we aimed to understand the clinico-anatomical dissociation in bvAD based on alternative neuroimaging markers. METHODS: We retrospectively included 150 participants, including 29 bvAD, 28 "typical" amnestic-predominant AD (tAD), 28 behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), and 65 cognitively normal participants...

AIMS: We aimed to describe how treatment of patients in cardiogenic shock bridged to heart transplantation with mechanical circulatory support, using either biventricular assist devices (BVADs) or extracorporeal life support (ECLS), has evolved in the last 20 years in our centre. METHODS: Since 1998, 72 patients with refractory heart failure and indication for heart transplantation have received mechanical circulatory support: 40 had an ECLS system and 32 a BVAD...

PURPOSE: In patients with severe biventricular heart failure (HF) and cardiogenic shock, use of biventricular assist device (BVAD) can be a treatment of choice. We are developing an advanced ventricular assist device (AVAD) intended to serve as universal pump for left and/or right heart failure (Fig.1 A,B). The purpose of this initial in silico simulation study was to demonstrate that AVAD design can be suitable for biventricular support. METHODS: The virtual mock loop (VML) was developed (MATLAB; MathWorks®) to simulate hemodynamic parameters as they surge through the BVAD-supported systolic HF cardiovascular system...

PURPOSE: Following MCS implantation adequate functional performance is crucial for participation in self-determined social life. Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is intended to make an important contribution to recovery before patients can be discharged home. It was our aim to evaluate functional performance measured with the six-minute walking distance (6MWD) at the end of inpatient CR and possible influencing factors. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of monocentric quality assurance data: we included patients (≥18 years old) who underwent MCS implantation between 2006 and 2016 and subsequently completed exercise-based inpatient CR...

PURPOSE: The Organ Care System (OCS) Heart® is non-inferior to standard cold storage for preservation of donor hearts. We hypothesized that its properties for prolonged heart preservation might be especially beneficial for extended criteria donor (ECD) hearts. METHODS: Patients transplanted with ECD hearts preserved using the OCS Heart® at two German and one Italian centers between 11/2011 and 10/2019 were prospectively followed and included into the study. ECD were defined as fulfilling at least one of the following criteria: age between 45 and 55 years without coronary angiography; age >55 years; echocardiographic evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH); need for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) longer than 20 minutes; left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)<40%; evidence of coronary artery disease (CAD); carbon monoxide intoxication with preserved LVEF; moderate-severe alcohol consumption; diabetes mellitus without CAD...

Based on a longtime voluntary registry, founded by the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (GSTCVS) in 1980, well-defined data of all cardiac, thoracic, and vascular surgery procedures performed in 78 German heart surgery departments during the year 2019 are analyzed. For this period, a total of 175,705 procedures were submitted to the registry, 100,446 summarized as heart surgery procedures in a classical sense. The unadjusted in-hospital survival rate for the 34,224 isolated coronary artery bypass grafting procedures (relationship on-/off-pump 3...

OBJECTIVE: Biventricular assist device (BVAD) implantation is the treatment of choice in patients with severe biventricular heart failure and cardiogenic shock. Our team has developed a miniaturized continuous flow, double-ended centrifugal pump intended for total artificial heart implant (CFTAH). The purpose of this initial in vivo study was to demonstrate that the scaled-down CFTAH (P-CFTAH) can be appropriate for BVAD support. METHODS: The P-CFTAH was implanted in four acute lambs (average weight, 41...

BACKGROUND: The SynCardia total artificial heart (TAH)® is the only approved TAH device. This report summarizes our single-center experience with the SynCardia TAH® with particular focus on the outcome after subsequent heart transplantation. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed the outcome of all transplanted SynCardia TAH® patients at our center between 2001 and 2019 in comparison to transplanted left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and biventricular assist device (BVAD) patients and to transplanted patients without prior durable mechanical circulatory support (non-MCS)...

Based on a longtime voluntary registry, founded by the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (GSTCVS), well-defined data of all cardiac, thoracic, and vascular surgery procedures performed in 78 German heart surgery departments during the year 2018 are analyzed. For this period, a total of 174,902 procedures were submitted to the registry, 98,707 summarized as heart surgery procedures in the classical meaning. The unadjusted in-hospital survival rate for 33,999 isolated coronary artery bypass grafting procedures (relationship on-/off-pump 3...

Right ventricular failure after continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation is still an unsolved issue and remains a life-threatening event for patients. We undertook this study to determine predictors of the patients who are candidates for isolated LVAD therapy as opposed to biventricular support (BVAD). We reviewed demographic, echocardiographic, hemodynamic, and laboratory variables for 258 patients who underwent both isolated LVAD implantation and unplanned BVAD because of early right ventricular failure after LVAD insertion, between 2006 and 2017 (LVAD = 170 and BVAD = 88)...

BACKGROUND: While heart transplantation has gained recognition as the gold standard therapy for advanced heart failure, the scarcity of donor organs has become an important concern. The evolution of surgical alternatives such as ventricular assist devices (VADs), allow for recovery of the myocardium and ensure patient survival until heart transplantation becomes possible. This report elaborates the role of VADs as a bridge to heart transplantation in infants and children (≤18 years old) with end-stage heart failure...

INTRODUCTION: In times of organ shortage, death while on the heart waiting-list still represents a major problem. As a consequence, bridging to transplant as well as the decision when to escalate therapy play a very important role. METHODS AND RESULTS: We report on two young patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and acute decompensation who were successfully bridged to heart transplantation with both left and temporary right ventricular assist devices in just 2 months...

BACKGROUND: Mechanical circulatory support is increasingly used in acute cardiogenic shock. OBJECTIVE: To assess treatment strategies for cardiogenic shock. METHODS: Data of 57 patients in acute intrinsic cardiogenic shock treated with ECMO were analyzed. Different subsequent strategies (weaning, VAD, transplantation) were followed.​ RESULTS: Overall 1, 2, and 4-year survival was 36.8 ± 6.4%, 32.2 ± 6.4%, 29.8 ± 6...

PURPOSE: The pediatric population has benefited greatly by the evolution of ventricular assist devices (VADs) leading to miniaturization. Device design like the HeartWare® VAD allows for implantation in smaller patients or even as an implantable biventricular assist device. CASE REPORT: A ten-year-old female patient (body surface area: 1.02 m2, 27 kg) waiting for 7 months for heart transplantation was admitted to the intensive care unit due to terminal heart failure...

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are safer and provide better survival and better quality of life than biventricular assist devices (BVADs) but end-stage heart failure often involves both ventricles, even if its initial cause was left-sided heart disease. Right ventricular failure (RVF) is also a severe complication in about 25% of patients receiving an LVAD, with high perioperative morbidity (renal, hepatic or multi-organ failure) and mortality. Patients who receive an RV assist device (RVAD) only days after LVAD insertion fare much worse than those who receive an RVAD simultaneously with LVAD implantation...

INTRODUCTION: Miniaturization and surgical progress in the field of ventricular assist device (VAD) therapy will lead to an increasing use in grown-up patients with congenital heart disease (GUCH). VAD implantation in such patients, especially biventricular VAD (BVAD) placement, can be very challenging, potentially associated with high morbidity and mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: We report on a 47-year-old male patient in terminal biventricular failure with pulmonary hypertension 40 years after a Mustard procedure...

The use of mechanical circulatory support devices to keep patients alive until transplantation has become essential in the face of an increasing organ shortage. We report successful heart transplantations after 841 days of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support in a child with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and after 547 days of biventricular assist device (BVAD) support in another child with cardiomyopathy. To our knowledge, this report is the first on the longest-term (841 days) LVAD and the longest-term (547 days) BVAD support in children who were mobile and awake during the support, as a most effective bridge to heart transplantation...

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Ventricular assist devices (VAD) have become an established therapy for patients with end-stage heart failure. The two main reasons for this development are the shortage of appropriate donor organs and the increasing number of patients waiting for heart transplantation (HTX). Furthermore, the enormous advances in the technical equipment and the rising clinical experience have improved the implantation technique, the durability and the long-term patient outcomes. METHODS: We reviewed all cases of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation at our Erlangen Heart Center during January 2000-July 2013...

We report the successful longest biventricular support using dual Jarvik 2000 biventricular assist device (BVAD; Jarvik Heart, Inc., New York, NY, USA) as a bridge to transplant. A 27-year old woman with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy underwent implantation of two Jarvik 2000s as a left ventricular assist device and right ventricular assist device. Although several BVAD-related complications including haemolysis, hepatic dysfunction, heart failure and pulmonary valve insufficiency developed at a very late stage, she was successfully bridged to heart transplantation after 1245 days of biventricular support, which is the longest in the literature...

PURPOSE: Ocular trauma is common in civilian and military populations. Commotio retinae involves acute disruption of photoreceptor outer segments after blunt ocular trauma, with subsequent photoreceptor apoptosis causing permanent visual impairment. The mechanisms of photoreceptor death in commotio retinae have not previously been described, although caspase-dependent death is important in other nontraumatic retinal degenerations. We assessed the role of caspase-9 as a mediator of photoreceptor death in a rat model of ballistic ocular trauma causing commotio retinae...