LVAD Vasculitis Case Series: Suggestion of a New Fatal LVAD-Related Phenomenon

Raul Angel Garcia; Safwan Gaznabi; Lewis Musoke; Michael Osnard; Kathir Balakumaran; Keith B Armitage; Sadeer G Al-Kindi; Mahazarin Ginwalla; Yasir Abu-Omar; Chantal A Elamm

doi:10.1016/j.jaccas.2021.03.030

LVAD Vasculitis Case Series: Suggestion of a New Fatal LVAD-Related Phenomenon

JACC Case Rep. 2021 Jul 7;3(7):1013-1017. doi: 10.1016/j.jaccas.2021.03.030.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant, University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center, Harrington Heart Vascular Institute, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
² Department of Infectious Disease, University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center, Harrington Heart Vascular Institute, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
³ Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center, Harrington Heart Vascular Institute, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
⁴ Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center, Harrington Heart Vascular Institute, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
⁵ Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center, Harrington Heart Vascular Institute, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

Abstract

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are surgically implanted mechanical devices indicated for patients with advanced heart failure and are known to come with several complications. Here we present a case series, and review 1 documented report, of LVAD vasculitis, a presumed new LVAD immune/humoral related phenomenon. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

Keywords: AKI, acute kidney infection; C. jeikeium, Corynebacterium jeikeium; HLA, human leukocyte antigen; LCV, leukocytoclastic vasculitis; LVAD, left ventricular assist device; PIGN, postinfectious glomerulonephritis; S.aureus, Staphylococcus aureus; autoimmune; cardiac assist devices; cardiomyopathy; cardiovascular disease; chronic heart failure; systolic heart failure; vascular disease.

Publication types

Case Reports