@article{JTD19839,
author = {Oneglio Pedemonte and Andres Vera and Lorenzo Merello and Manuel Novajas and Fernando Aranda and Julio Ibarra and Jose A. Muñoz and Javier Alburquerque and Paulina Espinoza and Felipe Cárdenas and Ernesto Aránguiz-Santander},
title = {Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) program in Chile: first successful experience in South America},
journal = {Journal of Thoracic Disease},
volume = {10},
number = {Suppl 15},
year = {2018},
keywords = {},
abstract = {Background: The need to have a variety of tools to deal with end-stage heart failure (ES-HF), along with the limited heart transplantation availability encouraged us to create a pilot Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) program in a public health care system hospital in Chile.
Methods: A retrospective analysis of the first nine patients of an ongoing LVAD program initiated on August 2013 was performed, completing an average of 30 months of follow-up. The most important events regarding to morbidity and mortality are described.
Results: Nine patients with ES-HF underwent LVAD implantation surgery; one of them died 23 days after surgery and another died after 11 months. One patient successfully underwent heart transplantation after 16 months of HeartWare ventricular assist device (HVAD) support; the other six patients remain in the program and have an average follow-up of 846 days at the time of this study (range, 23–1,481 days). The survival rate at 6, 12 and 18 months follow-up was 89%, 78% and 78% respectively.
Conclusions: This new pioneering LVAD program in Chile has been successful and now constitutes a vital adjunct to all who work in heart transplantation and ES-HF programs. It offers an effective therapeutic alternative when there is a severe donor shortage, in cases of atypical blood types, emergencies, exceptional cases with contraindication for heart transplantation or when there is important donor-receiver size mismatch.},
issn = {2077-6624}, url = {https://jtd.amegroups.org/article/view/19839}
}