title: Long-term mechanical circulatory support.
abstract: Against the background of an increasing number of patients waiting for heart transplantation but a stagnating number of transplant procedures, long-term mechanical circulatory support is gaining major importance. We investigated the outcome of 20 patients (15 men, and 5 women, aged between 15 and 66 years) each supported for more than 100 days between September 1987 and August 1996. The indications for implantation were bridging in 17 patients, myocarditis in 2 patients, and postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock in one patient. 12 patients received the Novacor IVAD, 4 patients the Thoratec system, 3 patients the HeartMate device and one patient both Novacor and Thoratec. Mean duration of support was 178.1 days, 15 patients were transplanted, 14 of them could be discharged, 2 patients died, 4 patients are still waiting. The most frequent complication was device-related infection in 11 patients. The results have shown that all three systems are safe and reliable devices for supporting patients for more than 100 days.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Heart Center North Rhine-Westphalia, Ruhr University of Bochum, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: el-Banayosy
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Minami
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arusoglu
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Fey
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kizner
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Körtke
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Körner
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kleikamp
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Körfer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000209:etiology; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014850:Waiting Lists