Axial flow pump support in a Marfan patient with an aortic mechanical heart valve: case report and literature review

The presence of a mechanical heart valve in the aortic position is usually considered a contraindication for the use of cardiac assist devices. Only a few cases with the combination of mechanical circulatory support and valve prostheses have been reported in the literature to date, and the experience is even more limited in the new generation of miniaturized axial flow pumps. We present a case report of a patient with a mechanical aortic heart valve who was successfully supported with a continuous flow pump and discuss the literature available on this problem. Further on, the patient was weaned from his ventricular assist device after 456 days of support.