Resolved hypersensitivity myocarditis after ventricular circulatory assist.

Hypersensitivity myocarditis is known to be a cardiac manifestation of a delayed-type hypersensitivity response caused by drug treatment. In heart transplantation candidates the incidence is elevated. We report the case of a patient with end-stage heart failure who underwent implantation of a left ventricular assist device as a bridge to transplantation. The histologic investigation of the left ventricular specimen obtained during device implantation revealed the diagnosis of a hypersensitivity myocarditis. Ten months later this lesion showed complete reversibility within specimens of the explanted heart, maybe as a result of the termination of inotropic therapy after implantation of the left ventricular assist device.