Key result
Implantation of ventricular assist devices may provoke antibody responses, resulting in patient sensitization and increased waiting times prior to heart transplantation.
This review highlights that VAD implantation can lead to antibody sensitization, which increases waiting times for heart transplant candidates, and discusses the implications for nursing care.
Orthotopic heart transplantation became more successful with the introduction of cyclosporine in the late 1970s. Although congestive heart failure has become a significant public health issue and the proportion of patients with advanced heart failure has increased, the number of heart transplants performed has not increased substantially in the past decade. Transplant waiting times have been related to many different factors. Unfortunately, implantation of ventricular assist devices (VADS) may provoke antibody responses. These result in the sensitization of patients and increased waiting time prior to transplantation. The purpose of this article is to explore etiologies of waiting times for pre heart transplant and left ventricular assist device pre heart transplant candidates, explain new theories of sensitization, define current methods to detect sensitization, and discuss nursing care implications.
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Catherine Fitzsimmons (2004) conducted a review in Advanced heart failure. Ventricular assist devices (VADs) was evaluated. Implantation of ventricular assist devices may provoke antibody responses, resulting in patient sensitization and increased waiting times prior to heart transplantation.
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