This article describes the current situation regarding organ donation and how the

ventricular assist device has prolonged the lives of patients who are in critical
condition.

Due to the shortage of donor hearts, various ventricular assist devices (VADs) have
been used in decompensated patients to prolong patient survival until a suitable heart
is available. .

Fourteen adult patients who underwent heart transplantation after long-term VAD
insertion were included. The preimplantation status of the subjects was critical
cardiogenic shock, impaired on inotropes, or stable but dependent on inotropes.

The results showed that the main adverse events during VAD support included
reexploration in search of hemorrhage 21%, neurological events 14%, infection
related to the left VAD 14%, pneumonia 14% or primary device failure 7%.

Fun fact: There were 2 deaths after 324 days of follow-up after heart transplant: one
due to biventricular failure in the early postoperative period and another, at 69 days,
due to pneumonia.

Rejection was observed in 2 patients who had International Society of Heart and Lung
Transplantation grade 2R without hemodynamic deterioration.

The study concluded

We conclude that VAD implantation improved end-organ function before heart

transplantation in critically ill patients.

URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0041134511002314