Device related infections while on left ventricular assist device support do not adversely impact bridging to transplant or posttransplant survival.
We conducted a retrospective review of our bridge to transplant experience over the last 7 years using the Heartmate device (Thoratec, Pleasanton, CA) by studying patients who developed device related infections. Of the 174 patients who underwent device implantation, 32 (18.4%) developed a device related infection while on support (12 patients with drive line infections, 14 patients with pocket infections, 4 patients with pump infections, and 2 patients with device endocarditis). There was no significant difference in rate of successful bridging to transplant between patients with and without a device related infection occurring in 23 (71.9%) patients with infection and 103 (72.5%) patients without infection (p = 0.406). In addition, posttransplant survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was similar for both groups--95.6%, 86.2%, and 79.3%, respectively, for patients with infection, versus 90.9%, 88.1%, and 82.2%, respectively, for patients without infection (p = 0.911).
Morgan
Jeffrey A
JA
Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, Milstein Hospital 7GN-435, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Park
YooKyung
Y
Oz
Mehmet C
MC
Naka
Yoshifumi
Y
D000328:Adult; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000401:mortality*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000401:mortality; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis