Bilateral mini‐thoracotomy approach for minimally invasive implantation of HeartMate 3

Abstract

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are an established option for the treatment of end-stage heart failure. Last-generation devices are characterized by a miniaturized pump size, allowing for intra-pericardial placement. This feature enabled the introduction of less-invasive implantation techniques, which have been linked to many favorable effects. The HeartMate 3 LVAD is a continuous-flow centrifugal pump, recently introduced for clinical use. Here, we describe the minimally invasive implantation of the HeartMate 3 through a bilateral mini-thoracotomy.