Background:
Left ventricular assist devices have been a significant development in
the treatment of patients with advanced heart failure supporting
circulation as a bridge to transplant, recovery or long-term destination
therapy. When ventricular recovery occurs, there are multiple described
ways of proceeding. HM2 decommissions are well described with varying
degrees of explant operations, less so in HM3 due to the novelty of the
device. In certain situations, invasive surgery can carry high risk and
so a minimally invasive decommission, leaving the LVAD essentially
intact in situ can be considered.