Hetzer Roland, Potapov Evgenij V, Weng Yuguo, Sinawski Henryk, Knollmann Friedrich, Komoda Takeshi, Hennig Ewald, Pasic Miralem
Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Ann Thorac Surg. 2004 Jan;77(1):347-50. doi: 10.1016/s0003-4975(03)01003-8.
A left lateral thoracotomy was used for implantation of the continuous-flow MicroMed DeBakey left ventricular assist device in 12 patients with previous heart operations through a median sternotomy. This approach avoids reopening the chest through a median sternotomy and reduces the risk of bleeding and subsequent complications.
