Recovery of a dilated left ventricle after cessation of cocaine and HVAD™ explantation using a titanium plug

Abstract

The ultimate goal in the treatment of end-stage heart failure is the recovery of cardiac function following mechanical assistance of the left ventricle. The HVAD™ pump (HeartWare Inc.) left ventricular assist device (LVAD) can be explanted without resternotomy. This article demonstrates that the use of a custom-made mechanical plug (manufactured by INNOVO Solutions GmbH), which can be inserted into the LVAD's sewing ring, is feasible. This mechanical plug explicitly designed for device explantation is a viable alternative to the current standard of care. This article adopts a less invasive technique to explant the pump. The following case illustrates this technique.

Patient-tailored silicone plug for HeartMate 3™ left ventricular assist device explantation

“…Explantation of LVAD devices is becoming increasingly prevalent as the number of patients receiving LVAD implantation increases and medical treatment advances [ 2 , 3 ]. Restoring cardiac function is the ultimate objective of congestive heart failure treatment.…”