Long-Term Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump Support as Bridge to Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation.

Background: The intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) can be used to bridge critically ill end-stage heart failure patients to left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. However, the IABP's potential association with hemorrhagic complications raises concerns regarding its utilization in these patients.

Aim: We investigated whether preoperative long-term IABP support increases hemorrhagic complications post-LVAD implantation.

Reverse electrophysiologic remodeling after cardiac mechanical unloading for end-stage nonischemic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD)-induced unloading appear to cause reverse cardiac remodeling. However, its effect on arrhythmogenicity is a controversial issue, and prospective data are lacking. We sought to investigate the impact of LVAD-induced unloading on the electrical properties of the failing heart.

Left ventricular assist device vegetation: "cure" without device explantation.

Infection following the implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is a life-threatening complication with mortality rates ranging from 15% to 44%. Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis are the most frequently identified pathogens and are responsible for 60% of LVAD-related infections, local as well as systemic. In this report we describe the successful therapeutic management of a patient who received a Heart Mate II as "bridging-to-recovery", which was complicated by device infection that was managed without device explantation.

Myocardial sympathetic innervation and long-term left ventricular mechanical unloading.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) on myocardial sympathetic innervation of the failing heart.

Background: Ventricular unloading by LVADs seems to cause reverse remodeling of the failing heart, but little is known about the sympathetic nerve activity during long-term mechanical unloading.

Methods: We studied the effects of LVADs on myocardial sympathetic innervation, by iodine 123-meta-iodobenzylguanidine (123I-mIBG) scintigraphy performed before and 3 months after LVAD implantation in 12 end-stage heart failure patients.

Severe anaemia and subcapital femur fracture in a patient with Left Ventricular Assist Device Heart Mate II: the cardiologist's management of this rare patient.

The use of Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) has increased over the last decade because of the lack of healthy donor hearts. In this report we describe for the first time a patient with an LVAD Heart Mate II (HM II) implanted 6 months before admission, who initially suffered from severe anaemia and later on underwent a successful bipolar hip replacement owing to subcapital fracture of the right femur. The patient was managed successfully by a team approach, which included a cardiologist, anaesthesiologist, orthopaedic surgeon, and LVAD technician.

In vivo aortic valve thermal heterogeneity in patients with nonrheumatic aortic valve stenosis the: first in vivo experience in humans.

Objectives: We investigated in vivo in aortic valve stenosis (AVS) whether there is: 1) thermal heterogeneity within the valve leaflets; 2) temperature difference between the leaflets and the ascending aortic wall; and 3) a possible correlation between heat production, inflammation, and neoangiogenesis.

Background: Histological studies have demonstrated a potential role of inflammation and neoangiogenesis in AVS.

Methods: We examined 96 leaflets scheduled for aortic valve replacement.

Right atrial appendage myxoma following recent coronary artery bypass grafting.

A 71-year-old male presented with recurrent atrial fibrillation, anaemia and thrombocytopenia. Six months ago he underwent an urgent triple coronary artery bypass-grafting elsewhere. Postoperatively he complained of fatigue and low-grade fever.