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Updated: May 27, 2026

Use of Two Intracorporeal Ventricular Assist Devices As a Total Artificial Heart
Published on: May 11, 2018
Who needs an RVAD in addition to an LVAD?
David J Kaczorowski1, Y Joseph Woo
1Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Abstract:
Mechanical circulatory support using left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) has become an accepted mode of therapy for both bridging patients with end-stage heart failure to transplant and as a destination therapy. Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is common after LVAD insertion and is a significant source of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing LVAD placement. Several studies have identified clinical, laboratory, hemodynamic, and echocardiographic parameters that may serve as risk factors for RV dysfunction after LVAD placement. Furthermore, scoring systems have been established to help quantitatively predict the potential need for RV support after LVAD placement.
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