Effectiveness of acute inpatient rehabilitation after left ventricular assist device placement

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) placement is becoming more common as a treatment of end-stage heart failure. People who have undergone placement of an LVAD typically have deficits with their activities of daily living as well as decreased strength from prolonged immobility. Patients often benefit from admission to acute inpatient rehabilitation before being discharged home. Few studies have examined the effectiveness of acute inpatient rehabilitation for people who have undergone placement of an LVAD. This study examines the admission and discharge functional independence measure scores of 20 people admitted to acute inpatient rehabilitation at an academic center after placement of an LVAD. Most patients had improved function after acute inpatient rehabilitation. The mean change in functional independence measure score was 22.05, and the mean length of stay was 11.6 days. This study shows that people who have undergone placement of an LVAD have improved function and ability to perform activities of daily living after admission to inpatient rehabilitation.