Implantable ventricular assist device exchange with focused intravascular deairing techniques.

As ventricular assist devices are increasingly adopted and widely implemented as a highly effective therapy for end-stage heart disease, extended utilization periods for destination therapy or bridge-to-transplantation have created the possibility of device failure, infection, or thrombosis, requiring challenging implant exchanges. A major problem in these operations is the risk of air embolization, particularly in a nonsternotomy approach that precludes access to the outflow aortic graft and to the ascending aorta. We report a minimally invasive, nonsternotomy HeartMate II implantable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) exchange, using peripheral cardiopulmonary support and a novel approach to continuous intravascular ascending aortic air removal.