Early changes in bioprosthetic heart valves following ventricular assist device implantation.
Heart valve bioprostheses can undergo early post-implantation changes, including pannus and thrombus, which may be hastened by the presence of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). We report the case of a 21 year-old male who was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy and severe aortic insufficiency, and had his aortic valve replaced with a #25 BioPhysio valve (currently in clinical trials--Edwards Life Sciences, Irvine, CA, USA). His symptoms of congestive heart failure continued to worsen, and he received a Novacor LVAD (WorldHeart, Oakland, CA, USA), and subsequently, an orthotopic heart transplantation. The relevant pathologies of the heart, BioPhysio valve (in place for 4.5 months), and Novacor device are presented.
Butany
Jagdish
J
Leong
Shaun W
SW
Rao
Vivek
V
Borger
Michael A
MA
David
Tirone E
TE
Cunningham
Kristopher S
KS
Daniel
Loretta
L
D000328:Adult; D001021:Aortic Valve; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D020878:Device Removal; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation