title: Ventricular assist device implantation using a right thoracotomy.
abstract: Most patients needing implantation of a ventricular assist device (VAD) require repeated sternotomy; some after cardiac surgery, and others later for heart transplantation. The purpose of this study was to establish the right thoracotomy technique as an alternative for VAD implantation to reduce repeated sternotomy-related morbidity and mortality. We performed a right thoracotomy in animals, preclinical cadaver fitting tests, and a clinical case. A total of 20 various animals underwent right thoracotomy for implantation of bi-VAD (BVAD, n = 17) and left VAD (LVAD, n = 3). The right chest cavity was entered through the fourth intercostal space with partial resection of the fifth rib. There was no procedure-related morbidity or mortality, except for one calf with right anterior leg paralysis. Preclinical fitting tests were performed on 7 human cadavers to observe the anatomical feasibility of BVAD cannulation from the right side of the heart. In humans, the ascending aorta, interatrial groove, right atrium, and main pulmonary artery were identified as optimal cannula insertion sites for BVAD implantation. A patient with cardiogenic shock underwent a right thoracotomy for implantation of an external LVAD. Cardiac function recovered after 3 weeks, and the device was successfully explanted through a repeat right thoracotomy. In conclusion, a right thoracotomy can be an alternative method to the standard median sternotomy for patients who need repeated sternotomy because of previous cardiac surgery, transplantation at a later date, or those with mediastinal infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ho Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Kyung
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Chang Mo
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Yong Hu
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Choon Hak
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Hye Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jae Seung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Kwang Taik
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyoung Mook
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta; D002417:Cattle; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery; D012756:Sheep; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data