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Updated: Jan 19, 2026

Use of Two Intracorporeal Ventricular Assist Devices As a Total Artificial Heart
Published on: May 11, 2018
Proximal outflow graft extrinsic compression of the Heartmate 3 centrifugal flow left ventricular assist device
Julien Guihaire1,2,3, Martin Kloeckner4, Marc Antoine Isorni5
1Cardiac Surgery Department, Marie Lannelongue Hospital, University of Paris Sud, 133 avenue de la Resistance, Le Plessis Robinson, France. j.guihaire@hml.fr.
Abstract:
We herein report an unusual life-threatening complication with the Hearmate 3 centrifugal ventricular assist device: proximal outflow graft extrinsic compression due to external thrombus leading to pump dysfunction and urgent heart transplantation. Low flow alarms without other abnormalities lead to the diagnosis of outflow occlusion. There was no evidence for a twist of the outflow graft, and no evidence for outflow thrombosis. The location of the outflow occlusion was particularly difficult to diagnose due to metallic artifacts around the pump. This report underscores that this complication should be screened in case of persistent low-flow alarms with the Heartmate 3 centrifugal pump.
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