Bridging to Heart Transplantation from the Biventricular Pulsatile Berlin Heart EXCOR Assist Device Support in a Patient with Advanced End-Organ Failure

Abstract

Long-term mechanical circulatory support is a life-saving technology while briding to heart transplantation. It increases the quality of life and preserves end-organ function for patients with  advanced heart failure. The number of patients with advanced heart failure scheduled for heart transplantation before comorbidities escalate is on the rise. However, the device function is complicated by the bleeding-thrombosis and infection paradigm, hence the interest in understanding device thrombosis and infection. We describe a 27-year-old man with idiopathic cardiomyopathy, advanced end-organ failure, and severe infection, who was bridged to heart transplantation after 8 months on the Berlin Heart EXCOR (Berlin Heart AG, Berlin, Germany) biventricular support. The patient was discharged from the hospital in the third postoperative week after the recovery of his end-organ functions. At 29 months’ post-transplantation follow-up, his last cardiac biopsy was grade 0, his ejection fraction was 60%, and he was enjoying a good quality of life.