Lijecnicki vjesnik 2012;134(3-4)
RECOVERY AFTER LONGTERM PULSATILE MECHANICAL CIRCULATORY SUPPORT IN PATIENT WITH CHRONIC HEART FAILURE: A CASE REPORT
Željko Sutlić, Davor Barić, Jozica Šikić, Darko Kristović, Igor Rudež, Daniel Unić, Mislav Planinc, Dubravka Jonjić, Ruža Mrkonjić
Abstract
Use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) is a part of today’s standard therapy in the treatment of end-stage heart failure. In this paper we describe characteristics of Thoratec pVAD device for MCS, implantation techniques, as well as the most important advantages and complications of application of the device. We present a 41-year-old patient with dilatated cardiomyopathy, who was the first recipient of paracorporeal left ventricular assist device (LVAD) in the Republic of Croatia due to end-stage heart failure. After heart function recovery the patient was successfully weaned from MCS after 130 days of support.