Friday, 22 March 2013

What are risks of a ventricular assist device?


These devices have connections that need to be sutured on to the large blood vessels around the heart. Hence bleeding is a very common complication. Secondly, inserting artificial material in the body also increases risk of blood clots. Therefore, a blood thinner is often prescribed to patients who receive a VAD. Infection of the pump or power source can occur. In such cases, the entire device may have to be removed. Device malfunction is a very common complication and usually require immediate attention.

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