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Late aortic dissection in a patient with a left ventricular assist device
M Dworschak1, K Wiesinger, N Lorenzl
1Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
The Japanese Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery : Official Publication of the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery = Nihon Kyobu Geka Gakkai Zasshi
|August 3, 2001
Abstract:
The limited availability of donor hearts means that an increasing number of transplantation candidates are temporarily or permanently supported by mechanical circulatory assist devices. We report a patient undergoing implantation of a Novacor left ventricular assist device who suffered fatal aortic dissection on postoperative day 11 after satisfactory recovery from multiple organ failure. The dissection of the aorta initially presented as an embolic peripheral ischemia. Early complete echocardiography is thus warranted to rule out dissection.