Transthoracic Echocardiographic Assessment of Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Devices

• Published in: Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography Vol. 24; no. 2; pp. 135 - 148
• Main Authors: Rasalingam, Ravi, Johnson, Stephanie N., Bilhorn, Kyle R., Huang, Pei-Hsiu, Makan, Majesh, Moazami, Nader, Pérez, Julio E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Mosby, Inc 01.02.2011
• Subjects: Cardiovascular; Echocardiography; Echocardiography - methods; Equipment Failure Analysis - methods; Heart failure; Heart Failure - complications; Heart Failure - diagnostic imaging; Heart Failure - surgery; Heart-Assist Devices; Humans; Left ventricular assist device; Mechanical circulatory support; Prognosis; Treatment Outcome; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left - diagnostic imaging; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left - etiology; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left - surgery; Left ventricular assist device; Heart failure; Echocardiography; RV; Mechanical circulatory support; LV; LVAD; Left ventricular; Right ventricular
• ISSN: 0894-7317; 1097-6795; 1097-6795
• DOI: 10.1016/j.echo.2010.11.012

An increasing number of patients are implanted with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) for the treatment of severe congestive heart failure. In parallel with this growing experience has been an increase in knowledge of how these devices alter cardiac physiology and the important implications this has for cardiac function. Echocardiography offers the ability to provide serial noninvasive evaluation before and after LVAD implantation to document these changes, guide management decisions, and identify LVAD dysfunction. The authors detail a comprehensive assessment of LVAD function by transthoracic echocardiography.