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Purpose The relation between left ventricular assist device (LVAD) inflow cannula malposition and pump thrombus has been reported. This study aimed to investigate pump position, derived from chest X-rays of HM3 patients, in correlation to any neurological dysfunction (ND) and specifically to ischemic stroke (IS) and intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). Methods This retrospective analysis was performed on routinely acquired X-rays of 33 patients (Age: 62.4±9.3 yrs, male: 89.5%, BMI: 28.3±4.9kg/m2) implanted with a HM3 between 2014 and 2017. Device position was quantified in patients with and without any neurological dysfunction (noND) from frontal and lateral X-ray parameters characterizing the inflow cannula (IC), pump depth in relation to spine, diaphragm or horizontal line. Results The analysis of X-rays (38.6±24.3 days postoperative) revealed a significant smaller IC angle of HM3 patients with any ND vs. noND (2.52±11.59° vs. 13.92±9.74°, p=0.029). Additionally, the IC angle in the frontal view (IS: 0.23±11.34° vs. noIS: 13.92±9.45°, p=0.012) as well as the pump depth (IS: 19.7±16.8mm vs. noIS: 38.3±19.6mm, p=0.044) were significantly smaller for HM3 patients with IS. Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve-derived cut-points, IC angle 10.06°) and 50.4% ( Conclusion In HM3 patients, inflow cannula malposition identified from X-rays serves as a risk factor for neurological dysfunction and especially ischemic stroke.

Purpose Several risk scores and classifications are available to predict peri- and post-operative mortality of patients with end stage heart failure receiving Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) implantation. The INTERMACS classification is most commonly used but recently assessment of sarcopenia has been suggested as additional predictor for post-operative outcome. Therefore, we evaluated whether or not psoas muscle area can serve as additional prognostic marker. Methods A retrospective analysis on our patient cohort in the time span from January 2014 to April 2019 was performed. During that time period a total of 178 adult LVAD implantations were performed (Heart Ware n=42, HeartMate II n=4, HeartMate III n=61). Of those, 107 patients received an abdominal CT scan prior to surgery. Psoas mean area at level of the superior endplate of the third lumbar vertebra was measured axially corrected and correlated with patients body surface area, giving the indexed psoas mean area (PMAi). Patients then were divided in high or moderate muscle mass and low muscle mass in accordance to patient sex. Results Estimated survival calculated using the Kaplan-Meier-curve found a significant higher 30-day mortality in patients with low PMAi (log rank: 0.009). Whereas no differences were observed concerning in-hospital, 90-day and 1-year mortality. Lower muscle mass also had no impact on the length of ICU stay or necessity of temporary RVAD. Comparison of the distribution on the INTERMACS classification, revealed that patients with lower muscle mass had a higher probability to classify as INTERMACS level 1 or 2 (Level 1: 21% vs. 38.1%; Level 2: 14.8% vs. 23.8%). Conclusion Patients with low PMAi in our cohort represented the sicker patients and had statistically significant higher short-term mortality. These findings suggest that PMAi can be used as an additional tool for risk stratification in patients undergoing LVAD implantation.

Purpose Long-term survival after heart transplant is still limited due to immunological and drug related adverse events. Immunosuppressive therapy is solely managed via pharmacokinetic analysis and clinical events. TTV (Torque Teno Virus) is a small single-stranded DNA virus associated with increasing viral load under immune compromising conditions. Studies in both kidney and lung transplantation have already shown that the level of plasma TTV - DNA load is associated with the magnitude of immunosuppression. The aim of this prospective observational study was to analyze TTV viral load in patients after heart transplantation (HTX). Methods We prospectively determined the TTV load in 50 heart transplant patients. Samples were collected at pre-transplant and each HTX visit in the out-patient clinic. Viral load analysis was performed by PCR from plasma or serum on the Department of Virology. TTV viral load was compared between pre-transplant and peak levels post transplant. Pre-TX TTV load was compared between different patient groups and between different immunosuppressive protocols after transplantation. Results Patients were transplanted between 1/2016-6/2018. Median age at transplant was 60 (42-67) years and 38% were female. 50%(n=25) of patients were transplanted due to ischemic disease, 44% (n=22) due to dilative Cardiomyopathy and 6% (n=3) due to other disease. 16% of patients were bridged with a mechanical assist device (n=8). Pretransplant TTV levels were 4.4E+00±2.03E+00 cps/ml and significantly increased to 9.39E+00 ±0.75E+00 (p Conclusion TTV viral load increases significantly after heart transplantation and reaches its peak after 90-120 days. VAD pretransplant has an influence of TTV viral load and the choice of calcineurin inhibitor drug seems to be associated with differences in TTV viral load. TTV viral load might be useful as a biomarker for the state of immunosuppression.