"As more patients receive [ventricular assist devices] and return to their communities with improved quality of life," Dr .Strueber concluded, "they will serve as ambassadors for this life-saving therapy.
Of those 50 patients, 20 had transplants, four were explanted after recovery, and 17 continue on support at two years.
"All patients who have continued with [LVAD] pump support are outpatients, and they have had few medical problems requiring hospital readmission," the researchers wrote.
For the survivors, quality of life was improved significantly over baseline values, the researchers said, as were certain parameters of cognitive function -- including recognition memory at three months after implant .
There were, however, some adverse events, mainly infection and bleeding. Infection of the driveline exit site -- which connects the internal pump to the external system controller and power source -- typically occurred after 30 days of support.
Also, seven devices had to be exchanged -- four of them because a thrombus entered the pump from the left ventricle.
The researchers noted that this typically occurred early in the trial. A review determined that manufacturing variability of the thrust bearings resulted in an area of reduced flow that could have been more prone to thrombus formation, they explained
This problem was resolved by optimizing the manufacturing process, and no further events have occurred in more than 1450 additional implants.
Laura Huber, " I would easily be able to live the rest of my life with it.
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