Left Ventricular Assist Devices - LVAD Complications: • Suction event • Stroke • Pump Thrombosis • Equipment failure • Cardiopulmonary Arrest LVAD Monitoring: • Pump Flow - Pump flow is a surrogate for cardiac output based on pump speed and power. Typical range is 4-6 L/min. • Pump Speed - Pump Speed is the rate of rotation of LVAD rotor. Typical range is 3000-9000 rpm. • Pulse Index / Pulsatility - Pulse index (Pl) is a dimensionless measure of the magnitude of pulsatile flow generated by the native heart. Typical range is 3-7. - Lower Pl = less baseline heart function (consider loss of circulating volume, arrythmia, worsening contractility) - Higher PI = more baseline heart function (inotropes, lower afterload, etc) • Pump Power - Amount of power (W) needed by the LVAD to maintain speed and flow. Typically 4-7W. Rising pump power can suggest incipient thrombosis. By Nick Mark MD @nickmmark and Eric Lawson, MD @EricLawson90 #LVAD #Left #Ventricular #Assist #Devices #diagnosis #management #cardiology
