TITLE:
Analysis of Patients with LifeVest after Cardiac Surgery
AUTHORS:
Vusal Hajiyev, Temirlan Erkenov, Andreas Smechowski, Soeren Just, Oliver Grimmig, Dirk Fritzsche
KEYWORDS:
Wearable Cardioverter-Defibrillator, LifeVest, Cardiac Insufficiency, Cardiac Surgery
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery,
Vol.10 No.5,
May
22,
2020
ABSTRACT: Background: Patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 35% are
at a high risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) and benefit from implantable
cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy. ICD implantation is not indicated
during the first 40 days after acute myocardial infarction and Methods: This is a retrospective
study conducted in the Heart Center in Cottbus. From 02.2015 through 02.2018 26
WCD patients were retrospectively analyzed and followed-up. Patient demographics,
defibrillation treatments, and daily wear times were retrospectively obtained
from our clinical database and LifeVest network. The patients were questioned
about actual NYHA grade and implanted ICD at the end of follow-up. Results: Twenty-five
patients (mean age 65, 22 men, 3 women) were treated with a WCD in response to
heart failure (mean EF = 24%) after cardiac surgery (21 CABG, 1 AVR, 1 AVR +
CABG, 1 AVR + MVR, MVR + CABG). Average daily use of a WCD was 22.1 (SD ± 2.7) hours
which were worn for 85 days (SD ± 35). At that time 11.96 (SD ± 15) events were
detected but not treated, 1 defibrillation performed and no asystole seen. At
the end of follow-up (12 months, SD ± 9) 20 patients were questioned. All of
the patients were alive and 5 (25%) of them were with implanted ICD. 10 (50%)
patients were in NYHA grade I, 3 (12%) in NYHA grade II, 3 (12%)
between grade II-III, 2 (8%) in grade III and 2 (8%) patients in NYHA grade IV. Conclusions: A WCD is an effective therapy for prevention of sudden
cardiac death during the recovery period of heart function after cardiac
surgery. This is treatment with high patient compliance.