Title
Multimodality Imaging of Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices and Temporary Mechanical Support
Authoring Organization
Publication Month/Year
September 3, 2024
Last Updated Month/Year
September 9, 2024
Supplemental Implementation Tools
Document Type
Consensus
Country of Publication
US
Document Objectives
Advances over the past several years in temporary and durable left ventricular (LV) assist devices (LVADs) support the need for an updated perspective on the role of noninvasive imaging in contemporary mechanical circulatory support (MCS) management. These advances include the evolution and increased utilization of temporary MCS (TMCS) devices, adoption of the fully magnetically levitated durable HeartMate 3 (HM3; Abbott), and an increased availability and use of complementary multimodality imaging techniques, such as computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET), to evaluate and manage complications associated with LVADs. This guideline will serve as an update to the 2015 comprehensive American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) LVAD guideline (hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘2015 Guideline’’) document that predominantly focused on long-term, surgically implanted continuous-flow LVADs. The 2015 Guideline describes the preprocedural aspects of imaging and remains in effect. This document, like the 2015 Guideline, uses both published data and expert opinion from high-volume MCS implantation centers to provide consensus recommendations. In addition, our writing group includes experts from multiple disciplines including sonography, cardiology, cardiothoracic anesthesiology, cardiothoracic surgery, advanced heart failure (HF) and heart transplantation (HT), critical care, emergency medicine, interventional cardiology, and radiology. We have elected to carry over select key points from the previous document to provide a comprehensive summary for the use of echocardiography in the management of LVAD patients. Furthermore, we acknowledge the growing role of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), which may be useful in evaluating patients with MCS in selected clinical situations.
Inclusion Criteria
Male, Female, Adult, Older adult
Health Care Settings
Outpatient, Radiology services
Intended Users
Nurse, nurse practitioner, physician, physician assistant
Scope
Assessment and screening, Management
Keywords
mechanical circulatory support, Left Ventricular Assist Devices, LVAD
Source Citation
Jerry D. Estep, Alina Nicoara, Joao Cavalcante, Su Min Chang, Sheela Pai Cole, Jennifer Cowger, Mani A. Daneshmand, Brian D. Hoit, Navan K. Kapur, Eric Kruse, G. Burkhard Mackensen, Venkatesh L. Murthy, Raymond F. Stainback, Bo Xu, Recommendations for Multimodality Imaging of Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices and Temporary Mechanical Support: Updated Recommendations from the American Society of Echocardiography, Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography, Volume 37, Issue 9, 2024, Pages 820-871, ISSN 0894-7317, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.echo.2024.06.005