Suicide after ventricular assist device implantation.
Depression and anxiety are well documented in patients with end-stage heart failure and correlate with a higher risk of suicide. We report a 69-year-old depressed patient who committed suicide by disconnecting the driveline of his left ventricular assist device almost 3 years after implantation. We provide the medical, psychologic, and psychiatric background of this unique case. This report highlights the importance of pre-implant psychologic screening, the need for regular and long-term psychologic support for this vulnerable patient population, and the need for more qualitative research on patients' views on living with a left ventricular assist device, together with research exploring risk profiles for depression and suicide.
Tigges-Limmer
Katharina
K
Clinic for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Heart Center North Rhine-Westphalia, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany. KTigges-Limmer@hdz-nrw.de
Schönbrodt
Michael
M
Roefe
Daniela
D
Arusoglu
Latif
L
Morshuis
Michel
M
Gummert
Jan F
JF
D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D013405:Suicide