Development of a non-transplant left ventricular assist device program

Although the established long-term benefit of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy has led to its proliferation as destination therapy (DT), few studies have evaluated LVAD outcomes at nontransplant centers. We undertook this study to better evaluate our experience in building a nontransplant, DT LVAD program.

We conducted a retrospective review of all LVADs implanted from 2010 to 2021. Patient, operative, and outcome data were extracted from the electronic medical record. Secular trends were evaluated by organizing the data into eras of implant. Survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models further evaluated outcomes.

From 2010 to 2021, 100 primary LVAD implants were performed. Annual volume grew from 1 to 30 implants per year. The average age of our cohort was 65.7 years, most patients (80%) were male, 51% had an ischemic etiology, and 65 (65%) were INTERMACS profile 1 or 2. Our 1- and 2-year survival were 82% and 79%, respectively. Multivariable analysis of 1-year mortality demonstrated that decreasing renal function and increased cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time were associated with increased mortality while preoperative hemoglobin was protective. When stratified by era of implant, our most recent patients were more likely to be INTERMACS profile 1 or 2; had shorter CPB and aortic cross clamp times; required fewer reoperations for bleeding; and suffered less right ventricular failure requiring mechanical support.

A single, nontransplant LVAD center can experience significant growth in volume in a high-acuity cohort while maintaining acceptable outcomes and quality of care.