Implantation of left ventricular assist device in a patient with left ventricular non-compaction

Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) may result in systolic left ventricular (LV) failure resulting in the need for heart transplantation. LV assist devices (LVAD) have been used to bridge these patients to transplantation; however, the extensive trabeculations found in these patients predispose them to thromboembolic events and pump thrombosis. We describe a patient with LVNC in whom an aggressive surgical approach was used to debride the LV cavity of trabeculations to successfully implant an LVAD.