title: Different surgical strategies for implantation of continuous-flow VADs-Experience from Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This manuscript summarizes our surgical experience with the implantation of recent continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), with special emphasis on the HeartWare HVAD pump.
  
  
  METHODS
  THE HEARTWARE HVAD IS, IN OUR EXPERIENCE CURRENTLY IMPLANTED IN FOUR DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES: (I) "Classical" LVAD implantation with heart-lung machine and median sternotomy; (II) "Minimally-invasive" implantation without sternotomy and without heart-lung machine; (III) "Lateral implantation" to the descending aorta; (IV) Using two continuous-flow LVADs for implantable biventricular support.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five-hundred and four HeartWare HVADs have been implanted using the described techniques in our institution up to now.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The HeartWare HVAD is a versatile device. It has been found to be eminently suited to these four different modes of implantation.
authors.affiliation: Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Department for Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Krabatsch
authors.affiliation: Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Department for Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Drews
authors.affiliation: Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Department for Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Evgenij
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Potapov
authors.affiliation: Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Department for Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Yugo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.affiliation: Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Department for Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Miralem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pasic
authors.affiliation: Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Department for Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hetzer
keywords: Heart failure; cardiac surgery; ventricular assist devices (VADs)