BACKGROUND Ventricular tachycardia (VT) can persist following placement of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). The optimal management strategy for VT during the peri-LVAD period is unknown. CASE PRESENTATIONS Two case reports are presented that describe epicardial and endocardial VT ablation performed during LVAD placement. Subsequently, both patients developed LVAD thrombosis, a known a...

REASON Proportional assist ventilation plus (PAV+) applies pressure depending on the patient's inspiratory effort, automatically adjusting flow and volume assist to changes in respiratory mechanics. We aimed to assess the clinical factors associated with the success of PAV+ as first-line support in the acute phase of critical illness. METHODS A prospective cohort study was carried out. Mechan...

BACKGROUND Neurally adjusted ventilatory assist (NAVA) delivers pressure in proportion to diaphragm electrical activity (Eadi). However, each patient responds differently to NAVA levels. This study aims to examine the matching between tidal volume (Vt) and patients' inspiratory demand (Eadi), and to investigate patient-specific response to various NAVA levels in non-invasively ventilated patien...

This case report highlights the variety of wide complex tachycardias, and the need for their prompt management, in the growing population of patients with circulatory support devices. We present a case that demonstrates how a wide complex supraventricular tachycardia in a patient with a biventricular assist device can be safely and effectively targeted for treatment using percutaneous radiofreq...

Berlin Heart INCOR system is a left ventricle assist device (LVAD), which generates a laminar blood flow. Its inflow canula is implanted in the heart apex, while its outflow canula-in the ascending aorta. In the present work a new alternative technique for implantation of the device's inflow canula is reported. The suggested technique is quicker and easier than the conventional one. It saves ti...

At early stages of development, the human embryo is protected by a surrounding two-layer coating—the zona pellucida. As the embryo develops further, this coating becomes thinner and, at the blastocyst stage, the thin coating is broken off and the embryo ‘hatches’ such that it can implant into the uterine wall. Following in vitro fertilization and in vitro growth, many embryos do not implant aft...

Introduction During assisted mechanical ventilation, appropriate WOB prevents diaphragm atrophy and fastens weaning. During PSV the ventilator support is fixed, irrespective of the patient’s effort. On the contrary, both the NAVA and PAV + algorithms are designed to amplify patient’s spontaneous effort. [1], [2] Objectives To test if the assist ventilation mode algorithm has an impact on patien...

PROPORTIONAL assist ventilation (PAV) is a new mode of synchronized partial ventilatory support designed to optimize adaptation of the ventilator to the patient.1 Proportional assist ventilation differs markedly from other modes of partial assistance. Rather than providing a fixed volume or pressure assistance to the patient, PAV generates pressure assistance in proportion to the patient’s own ...

The HeartMate II continuous flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) (Thoratec Inc) provides circulatory support for patients with medically refractory systolic heart failure as both a bridge to transplantation and destination therapy. Although left ventricular apical pseudoaneurysm has rarely been reported with first-generation pulsatile flow LVADs, this has not been previously reported with...