Abstract

Implantable ventricular assist devices are an effective treatment option for end-stage heart failure patients as a bridge to cardiac transplantation, to improve the clinical condition and organ function allowing discharge from the hospital to await for transplantation. The second alternative is to use the device as destination therapy for patients with contraindications for cardiac transplantation, in whom it is maintained indefinitely. We report a 43-year-old patient, with a dilated cardiomyopathy, severe left ventricular dysfunction and advanced heart failure. A ventricular assist device Heart Mate as abridge to transplantation, was implanted to the patient in the United States. It was explanted for the first time in Chile at the National Thorax Institute. Heart transplantation was performed using the bicaval technique. Induction of immunosuppression was done with basiliximab. Generic immunosuppression was carried out with cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone. Postoperatively the patient evolved with right femoral vein thrombosis in the femoral cannulation site, phlegmasia alba dolens, rhabdomyolysis, oliguric acute renal failure, which required renal replacement therapy, severe shock, with high requirements of vasoactive drugs and need for mechanical ventilation. He required a reoperation for hemothorax and had an Enterobacter pneumonia. After a period of serious illness, he began a gradual recovery and was discharged from the hospital after 58 days. After two years, he remains in functional class I, with a normal graft function.