title: Left ventricular assist device vegetation: "cure" without device explantation.
abstract: Infection following the implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is a life-threatening complication with mortality rates ranging from 15% to 44%. Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis are the most frequently identified pathogens and are responsible for 60% of LVAD-related infections, local as well as systemic. In this report we describe the successful therapeutic management of a patient who received a Heart Mate II as "bridging-to-recovery", which was complicated by device infection that was managed without device explantation.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Attikon, Athens, Greece. b.gogas@erasmusmc.nl
authors.forename: Bill D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Gogas
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Parissis
authors.forename: Efstathios K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Iliodromitis
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsiodras
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Radu
authors.forename: Ioannis A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Paraskevaidis
authors.forename: Stergios P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Theodoropoulos
authors.forename: Dimitrios T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Kremastinos
authors.forename: Magdi H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Yacoub
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020878:Device Removal; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling