Left Ventricular Mobile Thrombus Associated With Ventricular Assist Device

Diagnosis by Transesophageal Echocardiography

Abstract

Ventricular assist devices (VADs) have been used as a bridge to cardiac transplantation in patients with end-stage congestive heart failure. Despite adequate anticoagulation, thromboembolism is a major complication and in particular, a left ventricular (LV) thrombus associated with VADs has been reported as an important cause of thromboembolic complications. The frequency of LV thrombus formation in the patients with VAD support using LV apical cannulation is reported to be low. A 61-year-old woman supported with VAD with LV apical cannulation had a mobile LV thrombus adjacent to the inflow cannula diagnosed by transesophageal echocardiography. (Circ J 2004; 68: 383 - 384)