Incidence and prognosis of vascular complications after percutaneous placement of left ventricular assist device.

Objective: Mechanical assist devices have found an increasingly important role in high-risk interventional cardiac procedures. The Impella (Abiomed Inc, Danvers, Mass) is a percutaneous left ventricular assist device inserted through the femoral artery under fluoroscopic guidance and positioned in the left ventricular cavity. This study was undertaken to assess the incidence of vascular complications and associated morbidity and mortality that can occur with Impella placement.