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Updated: May 13, 2026

Implantation of the Syncardia Total Artificial Heart
Published on: July 18, 2014
Bariatric surgery for a patient with a HeartMate II ventricular assist device for destination therapy
Kathleen L Lockard1, Carrie Allen, Douglas Lohmann
1UPMC Presbyterian, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. lockardk@upmc.edu
Abstract:
A patient with a HeartMate II left ventricular assist device who had a body mass index of 52 needed gastric bypass surgery in order to qualify for a heart transplant. Unlike previous experience in which the surgery was performed at the implant hospital, the gastric bypass surgery in this case was performed at a bariatric center of excellence that was a separate facility from the implant hospital. The artificial heart program of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center worked with the bariatric center of excellence in scheduling the gastric bypass surgery using a multidisciplinary team approach at 2 hospitals to coordinate safe, high-quality patient care in a unique situation.
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