The centrifugal ventricular assist device after heart transplantation: a case study

The efficacy of ventricular assist devices (VADs) for postcardiotomy ventricular failure has been well documented. The role of such devices in the transplant field, however, has generally been limited to their use preoperatively as a "bridge" to transplantation. Little information has been published on the use of these devices after heart transplantation. This article describes the case of a 20-year-old heart transplant recipient who required the use of a centrifugal VAD after heart transplantation.