Impact of anatomical position of the inflow cannula on stroke in patients with left ventricular assist devices.

OBJECTIVES

Stroke is a substantial complication of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. The relationship between stroke and the anatomical position of the inflow cannula of patients who underwent LVAD implantation was investigated.

METHODS

We enrolled 15 patients with advanced-stage heart failure who underwent implantation of continuous-flow-LVAD. Data of patients who suffered a stroke within 6 months after LVAD implantation were retrospectively compared to those who remained free of stroke. The distance between the inflow duct and left ventricular (LV) septum (duct-sep distance) and its ratio to LV diastolic diameter (LVDd) were measured from echocardiography at 1 month after LVAD implantation. Receiver operating characteristic curves for the endpoint of stroke using the duct-sep distance to LVDd ratio was created and the cut-off value was calculated. The incidence of stroke during the 6 months after LVAD implantation according to this ratio was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

At 1 month after LVAD implantation, there were no significant differences in baseline characteristics and echocardiography parameters between the stroke and stroke-free groups. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for the endpoint of stroke using the duct-sep distance to LVDd ratio revealed 0.217 as a cut-off value (sensitivity: 80%, specificity: 80%, area under the curve: 0.72). Stroke was more frequent in patients with a duct-sep distance to LVDd ratio ⩾0.217 at 1 month than in those with a lower ratio.

CONCLUSION

The duct-sep distance to LVDd ratio was associated with the occurrence of stroke, suggesting that inflow cannula position influences the incidence of stroke.