Mitral valve and short-term ventricular assist devices; potential mechanical complications.

Mechanical complications of ventricular assist devices (VADs) are rare but serious. The authors describe two cases of different mechanical complications of VADs that can affect the mitral valve. Attention should be paid to the position of the inflow/outflow cannula after off-loading of the ventricle, especially in acute heart failure and normal atrial dimensions. Complete off-loading of the left ventricle in the presence of a bioprosthetic mitral valve might cause fusion of the valve leaflets leading to mitral stenosis, which will call for another intervention.