title: Creation of a diaphragm patch to facilitate placement of the AbioCor implantable replacement heart.
abstract: One of the concerns when placing a total artificial heart is whether the device will fit in the thoracic cavity without impinging on vital structures. We report the creation of a patch in a recipient of the AbioCor Implantable Replacement Heart that allowed for an appropriate fit of the device without adversely affecting pulmonary and hemodynamic functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, USA. rdowling@ucsamd.com
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Dowling
authors.forename: Aziz S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ghaly
authors.forename: Laman A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Gray
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006354:Heart, Artificial; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting; D012984:Software
chemical_list: D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene