title: Near fatal infection of a patient with a left ventricular assist device due to unrecognized fetal death.
abstract: We report on an unusual case of a young female patient who received an implantable LVAD after unsuccessful emergency coronary bypass surgery following acute myocardial infarction. After LVAD placement, it became evident that the patient had been pregnant. She had to undergo gynaecological surgery during mechanical support to remove the deceased fetus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Str. 33, D-48149 Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Etz
authors.forename: Henryk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Welp
authors.forename: Hans H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Scheld
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schmid
mesh_terms: D000032:Abortion, Therapeutic; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000601:surgery*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000601:surgery*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000209:etiology*