A Novel Percutaneous Technique for Left Ventricular Assist Device Deactivation Using a Left Atrial Appendage Occluder...

Reverse cardiac remodeling may occur in some left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients. Although considered the standard therapy, surgical device explantation with repeat sternotomy might be undesirable or very high risk. On the other hand, there are few data reporting minimally invasive percutaneous LVAD deactivation. We describe a case of a man with LVAD malfunction due to driveline fracture and left ventricular (LV) function recovery who had a Heart Mate II deactivated with a percutaneous technique using a left atrial appendage occluder (LAAO) positioned inside the outflow cannula. To the best of our knowledge, this the first report of LVAD deactivation with the fully recapturable LAAO device. We propose that the use of a LAA occluder to obstruct HM II outflow cannula is feasible and safe.