Long-Term Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device Support After Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Closure

Aortic valve insufficiency can be addressed during continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) implantation by performing aortic valve repair or replacement, or patch closure of the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT). However, few studies have examined the safety of long-term CF-LVAD support after LVOT closure. From November 2003 through March 2016, 16 patients with advanced chronic heart failure underwent CF-LVAD implantation and concomitant LVOT closure for severe aortic insufficiency. We compared their long-term outcomes with those of 510 CF-LVAD recipients without concomitant LVOT closure. Total support time was 26.1 patient-years in the LVOT-closure group and 938.6 patient-years in the CF-LVAD-only group. Survival at 30 days, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years was similar for CF-LVAD-only patients (90.4%, 80.6%, 74.3%, 67.5%) and LVOT-closure patients (81.3%, 81.3%, 75.0%, 68.8%; p = 0.59). There were no deaths related to LVOT closure. The event rate per patient-year for neurologic dysfunction (ND) was 0.23 in the LVOT-closure group (6 ND events) and 0.20 in the CF-LVAD-only group (136 ND events; p = 0.97). We conclude that for select patients with aortic insufficiency who are undergoing CF-LVAD implantation, LVOT closure produces acceptable outcomes and, therefore, is a viable option.