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Updated: Mar 28, 2026

Utilizing Percutaneous Ventricular Assist Devices in Acute Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock
Published on: June 12, 2021
Pan-Cardiac Cycle Fixed Mitral Valve Opening in an LVAD Patient Presenting with Hemorrhagic Shock
Andrew J Yoon1, Jina Sohn1, Luanda Grazette1
1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
Abstract:
We present the case of a patient with a HeartMate II left ventricular assist device (LVAD) who underwent an elective cholecystectomy and abruptly decompensated on postoperative day 9. We highlight the uncommon echocardiogram finding of mitral valve leaflets fixed widely open throughout the cardiac cycle during an LVAD suction event. Bedside echocardiographic confirmation of a suction event enabled the rapid diagnosis and intervention for hemorrhagic shock before blood tests and radiographic results were available. Acoustic image quality can be limited in LVAD patients, and awareness of this uncommon finding may increase specificity for the echocardiographic diagnosis of LVAD suction events.
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