title: Axial flow pump support in a Marfan patient with an aortic mechanical heart valve: case report and literature review.
abstract: The presence of a mechanical heart valve in the aortic position is usually considered a contraindication for the use of cardiac assist devices. Only a few cases with the combination of mechanical circulatory support and valve prostheses have been reported in the literature to date, and the experience is even more limited in the new generation of miniaturized axial flow pumps. We present a case report of a patient with a mechanical aortic heart valve who was successfully supported with a continuous flow pump and discuss the literature available on this problem. Further on, the patient was weaned from his ventricular assist device after 456 days of support.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tandler
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kondruweit
authors.forename: Theodor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fischlein
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weyand
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D008297:Male; D008382:Marfan Syndrome / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants