Use of a Dacron cuff to decrease bleeding from atrial cannulas of ventricular assist devices.

The use of ventricular assist devices is becoming more common for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock and as a mechanical bridge to transplantation. Bleeding is the most common complication reported in most clinical series. The sources of bleeding are multiple, but our experience is that a substantial percentage occurred from cannulation sites. We present a technique that we believe decreases the incidence of bleeding from atrial cannulation sites of such devices.