title: Successful cardiac transplantation after 4 cases of DeBakey left ventricular assist device failure.
abstract: Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are an established surgical therapy for patients with end-stage heart failure as a bridge to cardiac transplantation. Major disadvantages of these devices are thromboembolic events, bleeding complications, infections, and malfunctions. We report on our experiences with DeBakey LVAD malfunctions requiring LVAD exchange in 4 patients. All patients underwent subsequent cardiac transplantation and are doing well now.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany. schristiansen@ukaachen.de
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Christiansen
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Aken
authors.forename: Günther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Breithardt G
authors.forename: Hans-Heinrich
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Scheld
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hammel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000601:surgery*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012086:Reoperation; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left