Retrospective hemolysis comparison between patients with centrifugal biventricular assist and left ventricular assist devices

Little is known about the hemolysis rate in the case of concomitant implantation of two continuous flow pumps for the treatment of biventricular heart failure. We present a retrospective study comparing the hemolysis parameters in patients supported with one implantable centrifugal pump of the type HeartWare HVAD used as a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and with two pumps as a biventricular assist device (BiVAD). A total of 20 consecutive patients who received HeartWare BiVAD (n = 10) and LVAD (n = 10) support at our institution between September 2009 and September 2010 were examined. Hemolysis- and anemia-related parameters were analyzed after 2 weeks, 5 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months of support. Preoperative levels of hemoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and total bilirubin were similar in both groups. There were no differences in LDH, plasma-free hemoglobin (fHB), or total bilirubin levels postoperatively for up to 6 months. Only the haptoglobin level was lower in BiVAD recipients up to 3 months after surgery: 2nd week (63.5 [range: 8-237] mg/dl vs. 151 [range: 11-263] mg/dl, p = 0.05), 5th week (67 [range: 8-196] mg/dl vs. 215 [range: 56-292] mg/dl, p = 0.046), and after 3rd month (42 [range: 8-205] mg/dl vs. 220 [range: 157-256] mg/dl, p = 0.048). Our retrospective analysis of BiVAD HeartWare and LVAD HeartWare recipients showed a lack of a clinically important degree of hemolysis when two centrifugal HeartWare pumps are used for biventricular support.     

Simple implantation of a temporary right ventricular device for right ventricular failure after left ventricular device implantation via a left lateral thoracotomy

Right ventricular (RV) support in the case of RV failure after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation is a well-established surgical therapeutic option. However, there is a serious limitation of RV support after the insertion of a LVAD through lateral thoracotomy in patients who have undergone previous multiple cardiac operations. We describe a modified surgical approach for implantation of right ventricular assist devices (RVADs) via left lateral thoracotomy, with venous cannulation via a femoral vein and transpericardial outflow cannulation of the main pulmonary artery by Seldinger technique under echocardiographic monitoring. This technique was successfully used in a case with subsequent weaning from the RVAD after 10 days of support.