Post-operative heparin may not be required for transitioning patients with a HeartMate II left ventricular assist system to long-term warfarin therapy

In patients receiving the HeartMate II LVAD who were directly transitioned to warfarin and aspirin therapy without intravenous heparin there was no short-term increase in risk of thrombotic or thromboembolic events, and bleeding requiring transfusion was significantly reduced. Additional long-term follow-up is needed to evaluate possible late effects.