Ventricular Assist Devices and Their Usage as a Bridge to Recovery in Patients With Acute Cardiotoxicity and Cardiomyopathy

Cardiotoxicity can reduce the heart’s function temporarily and is most commonly caused by radiation, immune reactions, and certain medications. Using a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) as a bridging therapy while waiting for cardiac recovery has been popular lately in patients who have a reduced ejection fraction after significant cardiac injury. Here we analyze the use of LVAD as a bridging therapy in three cases with chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity, acute myocarditis, and postpartum cardiac failure. Although LVADs are infamous for their device-related complications, the ejection fraction can increase up to 50% within days to months of usage without any complications in acute cardiotoxic patients that have no underlying significant risk factors or co-morbidities. Hence LVADs are excellent supportive devices while waiting for cardiac recovery, both in maintaining cardiac function and improving the associated organ failures.