title: Total artificial heart implantation: clinical indications, expected postoperative imaging findings, and recognition of complications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purposes of this article are to review the treatment options for late-stage biventricular heart failure, discuss the clinical indications for total artificial heart (TAH) implantation, illustrate the expected imaging findings after uncomplicated TAH implantation, and highlight the radiologic findings of common and uncommon complications associated with TAH implantation through case examples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TAH implantation is an effective therapeutic option for the treatment of patients with end-stage biventricular heart failure. The duration of implantation varies depending on a particular patient's medical condition and the eventual availability of a human heart for orthotopic transplantation. TAH recipients often undergo imaging with conventional radiography, CT, or both for the assessment of device-related issues, many of which are life-threatening and require emergency management. As the clinical use of the TAH increases and becomes more commonplace, it is imperative that radiologists interpreting imaging studies recognize both the expected and the unexpected imaging findings that affect patient care.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Cardiothoracic Imaging, VCU Medical Center, 1250 E Marshall St, Main Bldng, 3rd Fl, PO Box 980615, Richmond, VA 23298-0615.
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Lester J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Fahrner
authors.forename: Brian P F
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Deuell
authors.forename: Kathryn M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: Vigneshwar
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kasirajan
authors.forename: Keyur B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Angel E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Medina
authors.forename: Kelly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Doolin
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: de Groot
authors.forename: Patti Ann
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: de Groot
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Goodman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D006354:Heart, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome