Quality Improvement in Anesthetic Management of Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Device Support Presenting for Non-Cardiac Surgery: A Single Center Experience

Abstract

With the growing number of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients requiring non-cardiac surgery and the limited availability of cardiac anesthesiologists, our study reviewed non-cardiac surgeries in HeartMate III patients with LVAD at our institution. We focused on anesthesiologist roles, detailing patient characteristics, anesthetic management, and outcomes and identifying improvement opportunities in this specialized care setting. A retrospective chart review was conducted of all patients with LVAD who underwent non-cardiac surgery at our institution between 2017 and 2022. Patient demographics, surgical characteristics, anesthetic management, and 30-day mortality rates were also assessed. A total of 23 patients were identified, with 17 (73.9%) males and a median age of 61 [53.5, 67.5] years. Cardiac anesthesiologists were present in nine (39.1%) cases. Elective surgeries were more common (73.9%), with intermediate-risk surgeries accounting for 52.2% of all surgeries. General anesthesia was administered to 18 patients (78.3%), with a median duration of 40 [24, 63.5] min. A single patient required reoperation because of bleeding, and two patients (8.7%) experienced 30-day mortality. Despite guidelines lacking detail, involving non-cardiac anesthesiologists in certain cases is essential. Sharing our experience aims to enhance the evolving discourse on non-cardiac surgeries for patients with LVAD, improving their outcomes and safety.