title: Infectious complications in left ventricular assist device recipients.
abstract: The left ventricular assist device (LVAD) has revolutionized the care of patients with heart failure who are awaiting transplantation. Despite reports of significant infection rates associated with LVAD implantation, few data are available concerning the management of LVAD-related infections and their impact on transplantation. Eight (40%) of our first 20 LVAD recipients developed infections. LVAD-related bloodstream infection occurred in three (15%) patients; infection was due to Staphylococcus aureus in one case, coagulase-negative staphylococci in the second case, and S. aureus and Candida tropicalis in the third case. All three patients were treated with courses of antibiotics that were appropriate for prosthetic valve endocarditis and received antibiotics for at least 6 weeks. All infected patients underwent successful transplantation and had no evidence of recurrence of infection up to 16 months postoperatively. Our experience suggests that LVAD infections can be successfully treated without device removal and that cardiac transplantation can be performed in individuals with LVAD-related bloodstream infection.
authors.affiliation: Section of Infectious Disease, Rush Medical College, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Trenholme
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Costanzo
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Piccione
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000617:Aminoglycosides; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000994:Antitrichomonal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001230:Aspergillus; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002175:Candida; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D006020:Glycopeptides; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009181:Mycoses / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013845:Thienamycins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000617:Aminoglycosides; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000994:Antitrichomonal Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D006020:Glycopeptides; D010406:Penicillins; D013845:Thienamycins