The Journal of heart and lung transplantation : the official publication of the International Society for Heart Transplantation
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J. Heart Lung Transplant. · Jun 2010
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyPost-operative heparin may not be required for transitioning patients with a HeartMate II left ventricular assist system to long-term warfarin therapy.
Anti-coagulation with heparin is often used after left ventricular assist device implantation as a transition to long-term warfarin therapy. We retrospectively evaluated the effects of heparin use on thromboembolic and bleeding complications after implantation of the HeartMate II left ventricular assist device (LVAD). ⋯ 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.