Hemorrhagic and thromboembolic complications in patients with implanted left ventricular assist devices in early postoperative period

Abstract

The work is devoted to study hemorrhagic and thromboembolic complications in early postoperative period after implantation of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD). We performed retrospective analysis of 10 patients, males aged 55±13.5 years, with a BMI of 30.8±8.3, with a left ventricular ejection fraction ranging from 9% to 28%, which in the period from 11.03.2016 to 22.11.2017 year, in the Silesian center of the Heart Disease (Poland), in conditions of artificial blood circulation, LVAD was implanted. In the early postoperative period, patients received daily anticoagulant target therapy (ACCT), consisting of the following drugs: heparin (6-11 U/kg/h), aspirin (75-150 mg), Clopidogrel (75-150 mg), warfarin (1.5-7 mg), Nadroparinum Ca (0.3-0.6 ml/twice on day), Fondaparinux Na (2.5-5 mg/twice on day). Two patients received mono-heparin therapy, one patient received monotherapy with warfarin for 14 days. Other patients during the same period received combined heparin therapy in the first three days with a subsequent transition to warfarin, aspirin, Clopidogrel, Fraxiparin, or thrombin blocker. The mechanical support of the left ventricle was carried out essentially by two different implantable systems, performing one function of support of the left ventricle: POLVAD – programmed controlled pneumatic membrane mechanical circulation of blood to two patients, and LVAD program-controlled electro-centrifugal circulation for eight patients. The duration of support by POLVAD system was from 102 to 156 days. Length of support – LVAD ranged from 20 to 78 days. A comparison of the analyzed results led to the conclusion that anticoagulant mono-therapy with heparin or warfarin leads to an increase in the percentage of complications and mortality compared with the alternative combination anticoagulant targeted therapy consisting of the following drugs: heparin (6-11 U/kg/h), aspirin 75-150 mg), Clopidogrel (75-150 mg), warfarin (1.5-7 mg), Nadroparinum Ca (0.3-0.6 ml/ twice on day), Fondaparinux Na (2.5-5 mg/ twice on day), Where survival rates were significantly higher by 60%.