title: Initial experience of conversion of Toyobo paracorporeal left ventricular assist device to DuraHeart left ventricular assist device.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This report details experience of the conversion of the Toyobo left ventricular assist device (LVAD; Nipro, Osaka, Japan) to the DuraHeart LVAD (TerumoHeart, Ann Arbor, MI, USA) in patients awaiting heart transplantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight patients (4 male, 4 female) with Toyobo paracorporeal LVAD underwent conversion to the third-generation centrifugal (DuraHeart) LVAD. The apical cuff of the Toyobo was not exchanged because the size was the same as that of the DuraHeart. All conversion operations were performed safely, but 3 patients who had infection of the Toyobo LVAD cannulation site prior to conversion suffered later pocket infections and 1 patient died because of sepsis. One patient underwent heart transplantation and 6 of 8 patients were awaiting heart transplantation at home.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Conversions from the Toyobo LVAD to the DuraHeart LVAD were performed safely. Considering that implantable LVADs provide superior long-term survival and quality of life, conversion is a reasonable decision for Toyobo LVAD users in whom there are no infections.
authors: Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan.
authors: Daisuke
authors: D
authors: Yoshioka
authors: Taichi
authors: T
authors: Sakaguchi
authors: Shunsuke
authors: S
authors: Saito
authors: Shigeru
authors: S
authors: Miyagawa
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Nishi
authors: Yasushi
authors: Y
authors: Yoshikawa
authors: Satsuki
authors: S
authors: Fukushima
authors: Takayoshi
authors: T
authors: Ueno
authors: Toru
authors: T
authors: Kuratani
authors: Yoshiki
authors: Y
authors: Sawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000382:microbiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D018805:Sepsis / Q000401:mortality; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000401:mortality; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014850:Waiting Lists