Device thrombosis in HeartMate II continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices: A multifactorial phenomenon

Device thrombosis is a multifactorial phenomenon, and differentiation of mechanical and non-mechanical causes is an essential step for individual diagnosis and treatment plans. Larger studies excluding patients with obvious mechanical etiology are needed to investigate biologic and/or management-related risk factors for device thrombosis. Our findings suggest that LDH may be an early risk marker. Due to the difficulty in treating late-stage device thrombosis, we suggest early use of simple tests to rule out both causes of thrombosis, such as X-rays and closer LDH monitoring (bi-weekly).