title: The diagnosis of left ventricular assist device thrombosis.
abstract: The clinical course of a patient with a left ventricular assist device is described. A total of 6 weeks after device insertion, the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level increased to 2801 U/l despite adding low-molecular-weight heparin to acenocoumarol and aspirin. Pump thrombosis was suspected but unconfirmed by computed tomography. Increased pump power requirement did not occur. Instituting unfractionated heparin caused a drop in the LDH level. After discontinuing heparin, the LDH levels rose to 5529 U/l whereupon pump replacement was performed. LDH levels, combined with clinical deterioration and right heart catheterisation, led to the diagnosis of pump thrombosis.
authors.affiliation: Thorax Center UMC Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands, h.z.r.gerds-ploeger@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: H Z R
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Gerds
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brügemann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rienstra
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Erasmus