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Use of a Percutaneous Ventricular Assist Device/Left Atrium to Femoral Artery Bypass System for Cardiogenic Shock
Published on: August 16, 2021
Trends in long-term mechanical circulatory support for advanced heart failure in the UK
Akan Emin1, Chris A Rogers, Jayan Parameshwar
1Clinical Effectiveness Unit, The Royal College of Surgeons of England, London, UK.
Insights
Ventricular assist device (VAD) use increased significantly in the UK, with a shift towards advanced third-generation devices. This transition improved patient survival rates for those awaiting heart transplantation.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Medical Devices
- Surgical Outcomes
Background:
- Heart transplantation (HTx) is constrained by donor organ availability.
- Ventricular assist devices (VADs) are crucial for managing advanced heart failure.
- Long-term VAD support serves as a vital bridge to HTx.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze UK activity and trends in long-term VAD support.
- To evaluate the outcomes of VAD therapy as a bridge to HTx.
- To assess the impact of VAD device generation on patient survival.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 247 patients receiving VAD support between February 2004 and March 2011.
- Categorization of patients into three distinct eras based on implantation dates.
- Comparison of outcomes based on VAD device generation (first, second, and third).
Main Results:
- VAD activity increased substantially over the study period, with a notable rise in third-generation device utilization (from <6% to 78%).
- Median duration of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support significantly extended from 141 to 578 days.
- One-year survival rates improved with newer device generations, reaching 76.9% for third-generation devices, though overall survival trends showed variability (P=0.21).
Conclusions:
- VAD utilization and support duration have markedly increased.
- A significant shift towards third-generation VADs has occurred.
- Improved survival is associated with the adoption of advanced VAD technology.
Aims:
Heart transplantation (HTx) is limited by the scarcity of suitable donor hearts. Consequently, more patients with advanced heart failure require a ventricular assist device (VAD). We report U.K. activity, trends, and outcome for long-term VAD support as a bridging therapy to HTx.
Methods And Results:
Patients were grouped into three eras: E1, February 2004-March 2006; E2, April 2006-March 2009; and E3, April 2009-March 2011. Exclusions were patients who received isolated short-term support or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation without prior or subsequent long-term VAD support. A total of 247 patients received VAD support; 202 left ventricular (LVAD) support alone and 45 both left and right ventricular support. Activity increased over time, from 36 patients implanted in E1 to 123 in E3. Overall, 46 patients received a first-generation device, 80 a second-generation device, and 121 a third-generation device. Use of third-generation devices increased from <6% in E1 to 78% in E3. Median duration of LVAD support increased from 141 days in E1 to 578 days in E3 (P < 0.001). Overall survival to 1 year after LVAD implant rose from 58.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) 40.7-72.4%] in E1 to 72.5% (95% CI 63.3-79.8%) in E3 (P = 0.21), and improved significantly with device generation; at 1 year, 50% of patients with first-generation devices were alive compared with 68.1% and 76.9% of patients with second- and third-generation devices, respectively (P = 0.002). These differences remained after risk adjustment. HTx following LVAD implant reduced over time (P < 0.001).
Conclusion:
VAD activity and duration of support have increased. There has been a shift from first- and second- to third-generation devices, and an associated improvement in survival.
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