The New England journal of medicine
-
Editorial Comment
Hypoglossal-nerve stimulation for obstructive sleep apnea.
-
Multicenter Study
Unexpected abrupt increase in left ventricular assist device thrombosis.
We observed an apparent increase in the rate of device thrombosis among patients who received the HeartMate II left ventricular assist device, as compared with preapproval clinical-trial results and initial experience. We investigated the occurrence of pump thrombosis and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, LDH levels presaging thrombosis (and associated hemolysis), and outcomes of different management strategies in a multi-institutional study. ⋯ The rate of pump thrombosis related to the use of the HeartMate II has been increasing at our centers and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality.