1. Preimplant Transthoracic Echocardiographic Assessment of Continuous Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device
- Author
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Martin Stout, Christopher A. Miller, Keith Pearce, and Roshan Ravindran
- Subjects
Heart transplantation ,medicine.medical_specialty ,business.industry ,Continuous flow ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Hemodynamics ,medicine.disease ,Cardiovascular physiology ,Patient population ,Symptom relief ,Internal medicine ,Heart failure ,Ventricular assist device ,medicine ,Cardiology ,Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and imaging ,Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine ,business - Abstract
For many patients with end-stage heart failure, heart transplantation is the only remaining option to prolong survival and provide symptom relief. Transthoracic echo is the modality of choice in assessing a patient for potential left ventricular assist device (LVAD) insertion. There are currently no guidelines available, and assessing this specific patient population can prove extremely challenging. As such, an understanding of LVAD mechanism, the important physiological consequences of device implantation together with the related echocardiographic examination is vital to accurately and effectively gauge correct patient selection and also improve implantation success. This review aims to highlight the common devices implanted, how these devices affect cardiac physiology and hemodynamics, and therefore discuss the major echocardiographic variables that should be assessed predevice implantation. (Echocardiography 2012;29:52-58).
- Published
- 2011