Presentation
Shortness of breath with a history of heart failure.
Patient Data
Cardiomediastinal silhouette: stable bony size, shape, and position for a technique. Stable lift support lines and tubes, including the left AICD and LVAD. There is blunting of the right costophrenic angle, suggesting a small pleural effusion. Decrease fluid in the right minor fissure. The left costophrenic angle is sharp. No pneumothorax.
Lungs: Slightly increased interstitial markings at the perihilar region and lung bases, the right greater than the left side suggesting mild interstitial edema. Bibasilar opacities favoring subsegmental atelectasis.
Soft tissues and bones: stable
Case Discussion
A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is a battery-operated pump implanted inside the heart's left ventricle. LVADs are used to treat advanced heart failure (class II and IV). With the limited number of heart donors available, LVAD is a life-saving alternative for patients who require cardiac transplantation. LVADs with optimal medical therapy have been shown to reduce heart failure mortality due to any cause and have also been shown to significantly increase survival rates at one and two years versus optimal medical treatment alone.
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