Acoustic Properties of Axial and Centrifugal Flow Left Ventricular Assist Devices and Prediction of Pump Thrombosis.

Objective: To characterize the properties of the audible tones produced by current left ventricular assist device (LVAD) pumps approved for use, and to ascertain if changes in those may be present in the setting of pump thrombosis.

Patients And Methods: From August 31, 2016, to January 16, 2020, LVAD recipients consented to have surface recordings obtained using a high-fidelity digital stethoscope. Audio data were analyzed using digital recording and editing software to produce an acoustic spectrogram by Fast Fourier transformation.

Ventricular tachycardia and preload deficiency post LVAD - The importance of integrated assessment.

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is common in LVAD recipients, and although often well tolerated, may result in symptoms and ICD therapies, and therefore require further evaluation and treatment. However, preload deficiency may also contribute to the development of ventricular tachycardia after LVAD implantation by provoking inflow cannula related VT. In this report, three cases are described where ventricular tachycardia was evaluated by integrated assessment utilizing echo and the HeartWare HVAD console, and successfully treated by modification of LV loading conditions.

Palliative Medicine and Preparedness Planning for Patients Receiving Left Ventricular Assist Device as Destination Therapy-Challenges to Measuring Impact and Change in Institutional Culture.

Context: Although left ventricular assist devices as destination therapy (DT-LVAD) can improve survival, quality of life, and functional capacity in well-selected patients with advanced heart failure, there remain unique challenges to providing quality end-of-life care in this population. Palliative care involvement is universally recommended, but how to best operationalize this care and measure success is unknown.

Objectives: To characterize the process of preparedness planning (PP) for patients receiving DT-LVAD at our institution and better understand opportunities for quality improvement or procedural transferability.

Dying With a Left Ventricular Assist Device as Destination Therapy.

Background: Despite the ability of left ventricular assist device as destination therapy (DT-LVAD) to prolong survival for many patients with advanced heart failure, little is known about the eventual end-of-life care that patients with DT-LVAD receive.

Methods And Results: All patients undergoing DT-LVAD at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, from January 1, 2007, to September 30, 2014, who subsequently died before July 1, 2015, were included. Information about end-of-life care was obtained from documentation in the electronic medical record.