title: Use of an inexpensive blue band during ventricular assist device and total artificial heart placement facilitates and expedites explantation during heart transplant.
abstract: Ventricular assist devices and total artificial hearts are now being used routinely as a bridge to heart transplantation. Reoperation is often weeks to months from implantation. Difficulty dissecting mediastinal and cardiac structures is often encountered due to adhesion formation that prolongs operative time. A temporary, flexible, rectangular-shaped polyisoprene blue band is used to encircle major vascular structures. We have found that this facilitates identification, reduces adhesion formation, and expedites device removal at the time of heart transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona 85054, USA. jaroszewski.dawn@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Dawn E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Jaroszewski
authors.forename: Jesse J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lackey
authors.forename: Louis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Lanza
authors.forename: Patrick A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: DeValeria
authors.forename: Francisco A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Arabia
mesh_terms: D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D006354:Heart, Artificial / Q000191:economics; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000191:economics*; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D012086:Reoperation; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene