title: Placement of a left ventricular assist device in a patient with dextrocardia.
abstract: Dextrocardia most commonly presents in the setting of situs inversus, but it may occur as an isolated anomaly with normal position of the abdominal organs. Herein we present a 54-year-old man with ischemic cardiomyopathy and dextrocardia with normal position of the abdominal organs who presented with an exacerbation of congestive heart failure requiring inotropic support as well as mechanical ventilation. An implantable, wearable left ventricular assist device was placed in this patient to allow for ambulation and eventual discharge home. The patient survived 4 months before he developed pneumonia and expired.
authors.affiliation: Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Division of Transplant Surgery and Assist Devices, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Southard
authors.forename: Jonathan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Joyce
authors.forename: Larry O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Christian A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Skrabal
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Torre-Amione
authors.forename: Keith A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Youker
authors.forename: George P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Noon
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loebe
mesh_terms: D015897:Comorbidity; D003914:Dextrocardia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged