Left Ventricular Assist Device Reinsertion for Recurrence of End-Stage Heart Failure Eleven Years after Device Removal: Case Report

After demonstrated myocardial recovery in patients with durable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support, the device may occasionally be explanted. A 38-year-old female with nonischemic cardiomyopathy underwent implantation of an LVAD as a bridge-to-transplant therapy. After one year, the patient demonstrated sufficient myocardial recovery allowing the LVAD to be explanted. A Teflon felt strip plug was created and placed within the apical sewing ring to occlude the opening into the left ventricle. Eleven years later, the patient presented with recurrence of severe heart failure. Due to morbid obesity, the patient was not a heart transplant candidate. Therefore, a second LVAD was implanted with a concomitant gastric sleeve procedure. When the plug was surgically removed from the sewing ring, no thrombus was observed; however, the ventricular surface was completely endothelialized. The patient recovered without any complications, was discharged from the hospital, and is currently listed for a heart transplant. This case demonstrates remission from heart failure lasting for more than a decade. If a second LVAD is needed due to exacerbation of severe heart failure, it can be safely introduced through the previous sewing ring after removing the Teflon plug.