Background-Rotary blood pumps used as left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) allow for long-term support and may become suitable alternatives to heart transplantation. Effects of this technology on the coagulation system are not completely understood, leading to controversial anticoagulation protocols. Thus, we investigated the primary hemostasis in patients with chronic LVAD therapy. Methods and Results-Twenty-six outpatients received axial flow LVAD (HeartMate II; Thoratec) for a median support time of 4.5 months. In a cross-sectional protocol, platelet aggregation in response to ADP and epinephrine, von Willebrand antigen (vWF:AG), and collagen-binding capacity (vWF:CB) were obtained. Von Willebrand factor (vWF) multimer analyses were performed, and patients were screened for bleeding events. This analysis was repeated after removal of the device for transplantation or recovery (nϭ12) and after a median of 15.5 months in ongoing patients (nϭ11). In all patients on devices, severe impairment of platelet aggregation as well as a loss of large vWF multimers were found. In 10 patients, a decreased vWF:CB/vWF:AG ratio was observed. Bleeding episodes occurred with an incidence of 0.17 per patient-year. After removal of the device, normal patterns of platelet aggregation, multimer analysis, and vWF:CB/vWF:AG ratio were recorded. In the second analysis of ongoing patients, impairment of platelet aggregation and loss of large vWF multimers were verified. Conclusions-A diagnosis of von Willebrand syndrome type 2 was established in all patients after LVAD implantation, and bleeding events confirmed this finding. Reversibility of this condition was found after removal of the device. (Circ Heart Fail. 2010;3:675-681.)

AvWS developed in all patients after centrifugal or axial flow pump implantation. Different patterns of AvWS were seen between the devices as well as individually. However, the complication rates after implantation were similar.

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HTx and LTx patients benefit from the transplant procedure with respect to HRQoL improvements for at least 5 years posttransplant; however, their trajectories during this time interval differ. Further research on organ-type-related predictors of HRQoL is necessary for the development of tailored psychosocial interventions.

IGr patients showed a strong benefit from a multi-modal intervention, including dietary counselling, controlled exercise and psychosocial support. Dietary counselling holds potential to prevent obesity in this patient population.

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Instead of pulsatile ventricular assist devices an increasing number of nonpulsatile ventricular assist devices are introduced to clinical practice. The different flow characteristics of this new technique lead to alteration in shear stress on blood components, which may affect the coagulation system. Repeated von Willebrand factor analyses were performed in a patient who first was implanted with a pulsatile ventricular assist device (Thoratec HeartMate XVE), which had to be replaced after 405 days with an axial flow device (HeartMate II). During support with the pulsatile ventricular assist device there was no sign of any coagulation disorder. However, on the axial flow device acquired von Willebrand syndrome Type 2 developed. Inhibition of platelet function was also observed, which may be in part due to the von Willebrand syndrome. The HeartMate II axial flow device may induce von Willebrand syndrome, which was not observed in HeartMate XVE pulsatile ventricular assist device. Patients put on continuous flow devices should be screened for acquired von Willebrand syndrome.