Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, United Kingdom.
Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, United Kingdom.
Soc Sci Med. 2017 Oct;190:141-148. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.08.016. Epub 2017 Aug 19.
Ventricular assist devices (VADs) are playing an increasing role in the management of heart failure. VADs are mechanical circulatory devices that support or replace the function of a failing heart. Currently, VADs are only offered in theUnited Kingdom (UK) to patients waiting for a heart transplant; however, the use of these devices is likely to increase in the near future. Presently, there is a dearth of literature exploring the day-to-day realities of living with a VAD, which will become increasingly important as the role of VADs is increased. This paper adopts an interpretive phenomenological approach to uncover the experience of 'Being' a VAD recipient. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 VAD recipients. The overarching theme is that life with a VAD is a liminal existence. This comprised four subthemes: the first examines how the VAD imposes limitations on recipients' lives that can precipitate a loss of identity; the second focuses on temporal disruptions, recipients' sense of time changes from authentic to inauthentic; the third explores how the VAD itself is liminal, it is positioned as temporary rather than as the 'answer' to the condition; and finally, we discuss VAD recipients' projections to the future and the possibility of an end to the experience of liminality.
心室辅助装置（VAD）在心力衰竭的治疗中发挥着越来越重要的作用。VAD 是一种机械循环装置，可支持或替代衰竭心脏的功能。目前，VAD 仅在英国（UK）提供给等待心脏移植的患者；然而，这些设备的使用在不久的将来可能会增加。目前，缺乏探索使用 VAD 的日常生活现实的文献，随着 VAD 作用的增加，这将变得越来越重要。本文采用解释性现象学方法来揭示 VAD 接受者的体验。对 20 名 VAD 接受者进行了半结构化访谈。主要主题是，使用 VAD 是一种边缘存在。这包括四个子主题：第一个主题探讨了 VAD 如何对接受者的生活施加限制，从而导致身份丧失；第二个主题侧重于时间的中断，接受者对时间的感知从真实变为不真实；第三个主题探讨了 VAD 本身的边缘性，它被定位为临时性的，而不是作为该病症的“答案”；最后，我们讨论了 VAD 接受者对未来的预测以及边缘体验结束的可能性。
