Initial experience in Japan with HeartWare ventricular assist system

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Medical Devices
• Transplantation Medicine

Background:

• Heart transplantation is a critical treatment for end-stage heart failure.
• Ventricular assist devices (VADs) serve as a bridge to transplantation, improving patient outcomes.
• Clinical data on the HeartWare Ventricular Assist Device (HVAD) in Japan is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the initial clinical experiences with the HeartWare Ventricular Assist Device (HVAD) in Japan.
• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of HVAD as a bridge to heart transplantation.
• To assess the feasibility of HVAD implantation in Japanese patients awaiting cardiac allografts.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of nine patients who received HVAD implantation between 2011 and 2012.
• Patients were diagnosed with various forms of cardiomyopathy and were New York Heart Association class III or IV.
• Surgical procedures, support duration, pump flow, and adverse events were meticulously recorded.

Main Results:

• All nine implantations were technically successful, with no intraoperative mortality.
• Mean support duration was 245 days, with no device mechanical failures observed.
• One patient experienced cerebral hemorrhage, and another required pump exchange; no mortality occurred within 30 days post-implantation.

Conclusions:

• The HeartWare Ventricular Assist Device (HVAD) demonstrates a safe profile for circulatory assistance in Japanese heart transplant candidates.
• The device allows for relatively quick implantation with acceptable morbidity and mortality rates.
• Preliminary findings support the use of HVAD as a viable bridge-to-transplant strategy in this population.