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HeartMate‐II Left Ventricular Assist Device Infections Resulting from Gastrointestinal‐Tract Fistulas
Author(s) -
Akay Mehmet H.,
Gregoric Igor,
Cohn William E.,
Frazier O.H.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of cardiac surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.428
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1540-8191
pISSN - 0886-0440
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8191.2012.01517.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ventricular assist device , colonoscopy , sepsis , heart transplantation , fistula , endoscopy , gastrointestinal tract , transplantation , surgery , cardiology , heart failure , colorectal cancer , cancer
Background:In patients with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), pump‐related infection can cause adverse effects that may result in death. Methods: We describe three patients who had infections related to a fistula between the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the LVAD pocket and who subsequently underwent successful heart transplantation without developing sepsis. In no case did the LVAD‐related infection adversely affect the outcome of transplantation. Conclusions: For detecting the fistulas, full upper‐GI endoscopy and colonoscopy were superior to other types of diagnostic imaging studies. (J Card Surg 2012;27:643‐645)