Cardiovascular pathology : the official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Pathology
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Cardiovasc. Pathol. · Jan 2005
Pathology in patients with ventricular assist devices: a study of 21 autopsies, 24 ventricular apical core biopsies and 24 explanted hearts.
Ventricular assist devices (VADs) are used as a bridge to cardiac transplantation or as a permanent or sometimes temporary treatment for end stage heart failure. ⋯ VAD significantly reduced the amount of CN, MC and MW in the left ventricle but may lead to acquired aortic stenosis of native aortic valves or total occlusive thrombosis of aortic prosthetic valves. Proximate cause of death was, most often, VAD related.