Simplified, less-invasive left ventricular assist device implantation in patients with post-coronary artery bypass grafting

Michael O Zembala, Remigiusz Antonczyk, Tomasz Niklewski, Jacek Waszak, Jerzy Pacholewicz, Izabela Copik, Marian Zembala
2018 Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery  
Less-invasive left ventricular assist device implantation is becoming the technique of choice for implementation of new-generation heart pumps. The less-invasive technique is particularly useful for patients with a history of cardiac surgical procedures, such as coronary artery bypass grafting. Yet, in redo cases, severe pericardial adhesions may force experienced operators to opt for alternative outflow graft placement, such as in the descending aorta. We propose a surgical technique in which
more » ... he left ventricular device is implanted through a limited thoracic incision, with the outflow graft anastomosed to the ascending aorta, avoiding collision with coronary bypass grafts. The key element of the proposed technique is a tunnel connecting 2 pleural cavities, in which the outflow graft is placed, entirely bypassing the pericardium.
doi:10.1093/icvts/ivy250 pmid:30239891 fatcat:4cushker7rfcnfvpdupkonyzd4