title: Initial report of bridge to recovery in a patient with DuraHeart LVAD.
abstract: Continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) provide acceptable clinical results, but the long waiting period for heart transplantation leads to diverse complications. LVAD support can cause reverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling that results in the improvement of LV function and allows LVAD removal. We present a case of successful removal of a DuraHeart LVAD because of sufficient recovery of LV function. Before LVAD removal, we conducted an "LVAD weaning test" by decreasing pump speed and performing an additional normal saline infusion test. We consider that the LVAD weaning test can be used in place of the "pulsatile LVAD off test."
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka, 2-2, Suita City, Osaka, 565-0087, Japan, yoshioka@surg1.med.osaka-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toda
authors.forename: Taichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakaguchi
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyagawa
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishi
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: Satsuki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukushima
authors.forename: Shunsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Ikuko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shibasaki
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakata
authors.forename: Tomohito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohtani
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*