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Review
. 2025 Jan 1;28(1):10-16.
doi: 10.4103/aca.aca_136_24. Epub 2025 Jan 24.

Pregnancy with a Left Ventricular Assist Device: A Narrative Review

Matthew S Abraham  1 , Lijo M Andrews  2 , Harsha Deo  1 , John Paul  1 , Santhalakshmi Angappan  3 , Abraham Samuel  4 , Abey S Abraham  5
Affiliations
Review

Pregnancy with a Left Ventricular Assist Device: A Narrative Review

Matthew S Abraham et al. Ann Card Anaesth. .

Abstract

This narrative review discusses the various challenges associated with the presence of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) during pregnancy. Given the hemodynamic and coagulation changes associated with pregnancy, the presence of an LVAD adds a layer of complexity with respect to optimal management. This review will discuss the anesthetic considerations when dealing with this subset of patients who may have other comorbidities alongside their advanced heart failure. Additionally, this paper aims to review successful pregnancies with an LVAD placement focusing on the mode of delivery and hemodynamic management risk.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Various components of a left ventricular assist device. The blood flows through the left ventricular inflow cannula which is located at the apex of the heart. It gets pumped to the ascending aorta via the outflow cannula. The LVAD pump is connected to an external controller via a driveline. The driveline is typically tunneled through the subcutaneous tissue and exits the abdomen. The controller is typically connected to the battery pack, and this can be worn around the shoulders. Two battery packs are visualized in the image
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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MeSH terms