Minimal-access left ventricular assist device explantation.

Patients on left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support can be successfully bridged to recovery. A novel explantation technique is reviewed. Six HeartMate II patients were successfully explanted off-pump through a combination of a left anterior minithoracotomy and a subxiphoid incision. A retrospective review of the institutional LVAD database was performed. The median LVAD support duration was 191 days (range, 69-307 days). There was no procedural or 30-day mortality associated with the LVAD explantation, and all patients are in New York Heart Association I to II at a median follow-up of 688 days (range, 127-1033 days). This procedure was associated with minimal blood transfusion and short intensive care unit stay (median, 1 day; range, 1-5 days) and hospitalization (median, 4.5 days; range, 3-19 days). One postexplant embolic cerebral infarct occurred. The HeartMate II LVAD can be safely explanted through a less conventional minimal-access approach.