Results from a multicentre evaluation of plug use for left ventricular assist device explantation.
Evgenij V PotapovNikolaos PolitisMatthias KarckMichael WeyandRené TandlerThomas WaltherFabian EmrichHermann ReichenspurrnerAlexander M BernhardtMarkus J BartenPeter SvenarudJan F GummertDavorin SefTorsten DoenstDmytro TsyganenkoAntonino LoforteFelix SchoenrathVolkmar FalkPublished in: Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery (2021)
In this European multicentre study, the use of a custom-made titanium plug to close the apical fixation ring after LVAD explantation resulted in a low incidence of plug-related complications. With the volume of patients undergoing LVAD explantations after myocardial recovery increasing, the plug has evolved as a simple alternative to more invasive device explantation procedures or decommissioning with a high risk for infection of the remaining system or stroke.