Infections in patients after Berlin Heart^® EXCOR assist device implantation

Berlin Heart^® EXCOR devices (BHED) are ventricular assist devices (VAD) used mainly as a bridge to heart transplantation (HT) in pediatric population. The aim of our study is to report the infections diagnosed in adult patients undergoing a BHED implantation.

Adult patients receiving a BHED between Jul 2009 and Oct 2017 at our institution were included. Infections were classified according to the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation definitions in VAD-Specific (VAD-S), VAD-Related (VAD-R) and non-VAD (N-VAD).

Fifteen patients underwent BHED implantation, which was maintained for a mean of 92 (19-195) days. Infection occurred in 13 patients who developed 36 infectious episodes: 5 VAD-S (5 cannula infections); 8 VAD-R (5 bloodstream infections and 3 mediastinitis) and 24 N-VAD (7 urinary tract infections, 6 Cytomegalovirus diseases and others). Overall, 27 (75%) were bacterial, 7 (19.4%) were viral and there was one (2.7%) fungal infection. Eleven patients underwent HT and all of them developed at least one infection after it. In 3 cases, all VAD-R or VAD-S infections were caused by the same etiology as before HT. Their median time of appearance was on day +6 (3-11) after BHED removal and HT. Overall mortality was 6/15 (40%). None of the deaths were related to VAD Infection.

Infection complicated BHED implantation in 86.7% of the patients. Overall, 13.9% were specific of BHED and 22.2% were related. However, infections did not preclude HT in any case and carried no attributable mortality.