Ventriculotomy Occlusion by Felt Plug in LVAD Explantation

This video demonstrates the construction of a felt Dacron plug, which was used to close the ventriculotomy in the left ventricle following explantation of a Heart Mate 3 LVAD device. The plug was constructed with material which is readily available in most operating theatres.

The method for creating this plug was simple and thus should be reproducible. The method is modifiable and can be tailored to individual patient shape and size to achieve the desired fit of the plug to the ventricle to maintain its shape and geometry.

The procedure involved leaving the sewing ring of the LVAD behind on the heart. This allowed for an easier reimplantation of the LVAD into the patient should the need arise again in the future.

Warfarin was stopped after six months, as the authors normally do, providing there are no contraindications. At a two year follow-up echocardiogram, the patient had not encountered any thrombus formation on the inside ventricular surface.