Case report
A 58-year-old man with ischemic cardiomyopathy in SVIT underwent LVAD
(HeartMate II; Thoratec Corporation, Pleasanton, CA) implant on November
2009. The postoperative course was uncomplicated and he was discharged
home in healthy condition.
In the following years he remained in stable clinical conditions (NYHA
class I-II) with a good quality of life (KCCQ=79). LVAD parameters were
always stable. He was regularly followed-up at our Centre (Figure 1). Up
to ten years after surgery, chest X-ray never reported signs of
pulmonary congestion (Figure 2).
No events of LVAD thrombosis or device dysfunction occurred ever. During
time he developed a progressive chronic renal failure with preserved
urinary output, now in stage IIIb KDOQI (eGFR 40 ml/min). During the
last year, the patient needed a new hospitalization for recurrent severe
gastrointestinal bleeding, requiring multiple endoscopic treatments,
prolonged discontinuation of antiplatelet and anticoagulant regimens
(15-days during which the INR was always ≤1.4), and transitory
administration of octeotride and fresh frozen plasma. Despite that, no
thrombotic event occurred, and no LVAD dysfunction developed. Subsequent
postoperative course complicated further with pneumonia, successfully
treated with antibiotic therapy and non-invasive positive-pressure
ventilation. The patient successfully recovered and is next to be
discharged in rehabilitation after 4 months of hospitalization.
Last echocardiography (after 123 months from LVAD implant) showed normal
inflow and outflow doppler-signals, mild aortic valve regurgitation, and
a moderate right ventricular dysfunction with mild tricuspid
regurgitation. Despite that, the patient was hemodynamically stable in
NYHA class II, with stable LVAD parameters.
Because of the overall successful postoperative course and the good
hemodynamic stability, HT was not offered during years.