The Jarvik 2000 is associated with less infections than the HeartMate left ventricular assist device.

OBJECTIVES

Device-related infections remain a considerable problem of left-ventricular support. We compared the device-related-infections between the HeartMate left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and the Jarvik 2000 permanent LVAD, a device with a novel retroauricular power-supply.

METHODS

Between December 2000 and September 2002 we implanted the HeartMate-vented, electrical-system in 11 patients and the permanent Jarvik 2000 in six patients. Total support time was 1626 patient-days (HeartMate, 26-271 days) versus 1246 patient-days (Jarvik 2000, 8-411 days). As potential risk factors for infection we analyzed age, preoperative hospital-days, total protein, cardiac index, maximal oxygen uptake, use of inotropes, LVAD risk-score-index and Aaronson-Mancini-score, intubation time, and intensive care unit stay. We used the Center of Disease Control definitions for surgical site infections.

RESULTS

HeartMate-patients were younger than Jarvik 2000 patients (46+/-13 versus 58+/-6 years, P=0.056), there were no other differences in the risk factors. Four HeartMate-patients needed late (>or=48 h) surgical revisions for bleeding/hematomas versus no revisions in the Jarvik 2000 patients. In the HeartMate-patients, there were seven (64%) driveline-infections, five (45%) device-pocket infections, and three (27%) bloodstream-infections, or 0.43 device-related infections/100 patient-days. Infections occurred early (34+/-31 days). Three patients required urgent transplantation due to bloodstream infection. There were no adverse outcomes in the HeartMate-group due to infection. In the Jarvik 2000 patients, there was one driveline-infection (16%) after 270 days of support (0.08 device-related infections/100 patient-days), significantly less than in the HeartMate-group (P=0.044). Driveline infections resolved with antibiotics and local wound care in the Jarvik 2000 patient, but only in one of seven HeartMate-patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Implantation of the Jarvik 2000 is associated with less device-related infections than the HeartMate-LVAD. The power-supply of the permanent Jarvik 2000 is suitable for long-term mechanical support.