title: Single-center experience with the thoratec ventricular assist device.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Thoratec ventricular assist device (Thoratec Laboratories, Pleasanton, Calif) is widely accepted for univentricular and biventricular support in patients with various indications. The aim of this study is to describe our experience with implantation of the Thoratec ventricular assist device in more than 100 patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  From March 1992 to June 1998, 114 patients (98 men and 16 women; mean age, 47.9 years) received the Thoratec ventricular assist device for a mean duration of 44.9 days. The patients were divided into 3 groups. Group 1 included 84 patients in whom the system was applied as a bridge-to-transplant procedure. Group 2 included 17 patients with postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock, and group 3 included 13 patients with cardiogenic shock of other causes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-eight percent of patients in group 1 survived to transplantation with a posttransplant survival of 88%. The only independent risk factor affecting survival was age more than 60 years. Survivals in groups 2 and 3 were 47% and 31%, respectively. Main complications in all groups were bleeding, multiple organ failure, liver failure, sepsis, and neurologic disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Thoratec ventricular assist device has proved to be a reliable device for bridge to transplantation and postcardiotomy support. Further studies are required on patient selection and on patient and device management to reduce the incidence of complications in these patient populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Heart Center North Rhine-Westphalia, Ruhr University of Bochum, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Körfer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Banayosy
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arusoglu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Minami
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Körner
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kizner
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Fey
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schütt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morshuis
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Posival
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D015996:Survival Rate