Evaluation of coronary flow is useful in patients with left coronary cusp thrombus formation after left ventricular assist device implantation

Tasuku Sato; Michinari Hieda; Shutaro Futami; Mitsuhiro Fukata; Akira Shiose

doi:10.1093/ehjcr/ytad025

Evaluation of coronary flow is useful in patients with left coronary cusp thrombus formation after left ventricular assist device implantation

Eur Heart J Case Rep. 2023 Jan 12;7(1):ytad025. doi: 10.1093/ehjcr/ytad025. eCollection 2023 Jan.

Authors

Tasuku Sato¹, Michinari Hieda², Shutaro Futami², Mitsuhiro Fukata², Akira Shiose³

Affiliations

¹ Heart Center, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
² Department of Medicine and Bio-systemic Science, Hematology, Oncology, and Cardiovascular Medicine, Kyushu University Hospital, School of Medicine, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi Higashi-Ku Fukuoka City, Clinical Research Building B7F, Fukuoka 812-8586, Japan.
³ Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.

Abstract

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is essential for patients with severe heart failure, but there is a risk of thrombus formation on the aortic root and cusps, leading to coronary artery occlusion. Even with the narrowing of the echo-window due to LVAD, careful observation of coronary flow by transthoracic echocardiography can evaluate the patency of coronary flow non-invasively and immediately.

Publication types

Case Reports