Management of Right Ventricular Failure in the Era of Ventricular Assist Device Therapy

• Published in: Current heart failure reports Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 65 - 71
• Main Author: Craig, Michael L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Current Science Inc 01-03-2011
• Subjects: Cardiac Surgery; Cardiology; Heart Failure - physiopathology; Heart Failure - surgery; Heart-Assist Devices; Humans; Imaging; Internal Medicine; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Radiology; Risk Assessment; Severity of Illness Index; Vascular Surgery; Ventricular Dysfunction, Right - physiopathology; Ventricular Dysfunction, Right - surgery; Left ventricular assist device; Biventricular assist device; Bridge-to-transplantation; Right ventricular failure; Congestive heart failure; Right ventricular assist device; Destination therapy
• ISSN: 1546-9530; 1546-9549
• DOI: 10.1007/s11897-010-0043-3

The increasing incidence of patients with advanced heart failure, limited donor availability, and continued advancements in the field of mechanical circulatory support have made implantation of left ventricular assist device therapy (LVAD) an attractive option for patients with end-stage heart failure. Perioperative right ventricular failure (RVF) occurs frequently in patients undergoing LVAD implantation and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This review will discuss the pathophysiology of RVF, recent efforts to risk-stratify patients preoperatively, and current preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative management strategies.