Management and outcomes of left ventricular assist device-associated endocarditis: a systematic review

Intracranial Mycotic Aneurysm after Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation Treated with Trans-arterial Embolization via the Brachial Artery: A Case Report

Implantation of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is widely performed in patients with end-stage chronic heart failure. Infection and stroke are major complications after LVAD implantation. However, the incidence of intracranial mycotic aneurysm after LVAD implantation is rare, and with no standard of care. In this study, we describe a case of an intracranial mycotic aneurysm after LVAD implantation that was successfully treated with trans-arterial embolization (TAE) with N-butyl 2-cyanoacrylate (NBCA) via the brachial artery. A 49-year-old man with a history of implantation of LVAD for ischemic cardiomyopathy was admitted to our institution. He had infectious endocarditis and was administered systemic antibiotics. At 3 weeks after admission, intracranial mycotic aneurysm of the left posterior parietal artery was detected during a diagnostic examination for asymptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. Anticoagulant therapy was administered to prevent thromboembolic complications of LVAD implantation. Under local anesthesia, TAE with NBCA was performed via the brachial artery because of the tortuous anatomy of the origin of the innominate artery and implant of the aortic arch. The aneurysm was completely obliterated. The patient was discharged without neurological deficits. TAE using NBCA could be an effective modality for the treatment of intracranial mycotic aneurysm after LVAD implantation.

Infective endocarditis and solid organ transplantation: Only worse outcomes during initial transplantation hospitalization

BACKGROUND

The epidemiology, and outcome of infective endocarditis (IE) among solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients is unknown.

METHODS

We used data from the 2013-2018 Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD). IE- and SOT-associated hospitalizations were identified using diagnosis and procedure codes. Outcomes included inpatient mortality, length of stay, and inpatient costs. Adjusted analyses were performed using weighted regression models.

RESULTS

A total of 99,052 IE-associated hospitalizations, corresponding to a weighted national estimate of 193,164, were included for analysis. Of these, 794 (weighted n = 1,574) were associated with transplant history (SOT-IE). Mortality was not significantly different between SOT-IE and non-SOT-IE (17.2% vs. 15.8%, adjusted relative risk [aRR]: 0.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.71, 1.03]), and fewer SOT-IE patients underwent valve repair or replacement than non-SOT-IE (12.5% vs. 16.2%, aRR 0.82, 95% CI [0.71, 0.95]). We then compared outcomes of patients diagnosed with IE during their index transplant hospitalization (index-SOT-IE) to patients without IE during their transplant hospitalization (index-SOT). Index-SOT-IE occurred most frequently among heart transplant recipients (45.1%), and was associated with greater mortality (27.1% vs. 2.3%, aRR 6.07, 95% CI [3.32, 11.11]).

CONCLUSION

Dual diagnosis of SOT and IE was associated with worse outcomes among SOT recipients during index hospitalization, but not overall among patients with IE.

Contemporary Management Strategies in VAD Infection

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The use of durable ventricular assist devices (VAD) to manage end-stage heart failure is increasing, but infection remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with VAD. In this review, we synthesize recent data pertaining to the epidemiology, diagnosis, management, and prevention of VAD infections, discuss transplant considerations in patients with VAD infections, and highlight remaining knowledge gaps. We also present a conceptual framework for treating clinicians to approach these infections that draws on the same principles that guide the treatment of analogous infections that occur in patients without VAD.

RECENT FINDINGS

Despite advances in device design, surgical techniques, and preventative interventions, more than a third of VAD recipients still experience infection as an adverse outcome. Positron emission tomography has emerged as a promising modality for identifying and characterizing VAD infections. High-quality data to support many of the routine therapeutic strategies currently used for VAD infections-including suppressive antibiotic therapy, surgical debridement/device exchange, and novel antimicrobials for emerging multidrug-resistant organisms-remain limited. Although pre-transplant VAD infection may impact some early transplant outcomes, transplantation remains a viable option for patients with most types of VAD infection. Standardized definitions of VAD infection applied to large registry datasets have yielded key insights into the epidemiology of infectious complications among VAD recipients, but more prospective studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of existing and novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.