Clinical Results of Left Ventricular Assist Device Using NIPRO LVAD

Abstract

The ventricular assist device (VAD) is implanted as an effective treatment for end-stage heart failure and has been widely used as a bridge to cardiac transplantation or in destination therapy. In Japan, however, there are problems with the heart transplantation system, i.e., an extreme shortage of donors and limited availability of VAD. Until recently, only one paracorporeal ventricular assist device (NIPRO VAD) was approved for coverage by national health insurance. In this study, we investigated the results obtained using the NIPRO VAD at our institution. From 2006 to 2009, 8 patients underwent NIPRO VAD implantation (left VAD: LVAD) at Nihon University Itabashi Hospital. Three patients were be weaned from LVAD, and it was used as a bridge to heart transplantation in two patients who underwent transplantation in Germany. Four patients have since achieved long-term survival with LVAD without complications. All four patients with cardiogenic shock due to acute myocardial infarction died despite the use of LVAD. Although the outcome of LVAD therapy was poor for patients with cardiogenic shock due to acute myocardial infarction, it was effective in patients with fulminant myocarditis and as a bridge to transplantation.