Acquired Von Willebrand syndrome is an early-onset problem in ventricular assist device patients

Acquired Von Willebrand syndrome (AVWS) can contribute to bleeding complications in patients with ventricular assist devices (VADs). AVWS results from shear stress, which causes unfolding of the high-molecular-weight (HMW) multimers of Von Willebrand factor (VWF) with subsequent cleavage. Loss of the HMW multimers of VWF is the leading finding in AVWS. In consequence, binding of VWF to collagen and to platelets is impaired. The onset of AVWS after VAD implantation is not yet determined. We examined VAD patients for presence of an AVWS in the early, intermediate, and late phase after VAD implantation.