title: Suspected involvement of EPTFE membrane in sterile intrathoracic abscess and pericardial empyema in a multi-allergic LVAD recipient: a case report.
abstract: Device-related infections in recipients of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) have been recognized as a major source of morbidity and mortality. They require a high level of diagnostic effort as part of the overall burden resulting from infectious complications in LVAD recipients. We present a multi-allergic patient who was treated for persistent sterile intrathoracic abscess formation and pericardial empyema following minimally invasive LVAD implantation including use of a sheet of e-polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane to restore pericardial integrity. Sterile abscess formation and pericardial empyema recurred after surgical removal until the ePTFE membrane was removed, suggesting that in disposed patients, ePTFE may be related to sterile abscess formation or sterile empyema.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. angela.kornberger@kgu.de.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kornberger
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Veronika.Walter@kgu.de.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Mahmud.Khalil@kgu.de.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khalil
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Panagiotis.Therapidis@kgu.de.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Therapidis
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Birgit.Assmus@kgu.de.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Assmus
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Anton.Moritz@kgu.de.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moritz
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Andres.Beiras@kgu.de.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beiras-Fernandez
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Ulrich.Stock@kgu.de.
authors.forename: U A
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: Stock
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D004653:Empyema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010496:Pericardium; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene / Q000009:adverse effects*; D035423:Thoracic Cavity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene