We report a rare case of a 59-year-old male who presented with a pulsating pseudoaneurysm 15 months after placement of a HeartMate II left ventricular assist device (Thoratec Corporation, Pleasanton, CA, USA). Computed tomography and echocardiogram imaging and surgical exploration revealed that bend relief spontaneously detached from the outflow conduit, and the sharp edges of the snap ring component of the bend relief caused perforation to the outflow graft. <Learning objective: Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are of growing popularity within the field of cardiology as a means of bridge to transplant and as a destination therapy. This case highlights a rare, but potentially fatal complication of a popular LVAD, the HeartMate II. Since this case report, the US Food and Drug Administration has released a statement of this particular complication, and Thoratec has made changes to the design. However, many patients still have the older model in place, and are at risk of this rare but potentially fatal complication.>.
Keywords: HeartMate; Left ventricular assist device; Pseudoaneurysm.