Surgical Treatment of the Left Ventricular Assist Device Drive Line Infection with Abscess Formation

Specific left ventricular assist device infections are the leading cause of morbidity and second most common cause of death in patients who survive the first six months after implanting device, and also they are the most common cause of readmissions to hospital. The patient is a 63-year-old who received LVAD HeartMate II. The patient was readmitted to the hospital due to a driveline exit site infection and a developed abscess formation at 4 cm from the DL exit site. After reducing infection with antibiotics therapy, he was successfully operated by creating new exit site while removing the driveline from the infected region of the subcutaneous tissue. Repositioning of the driveline to a new exit site with mandatory removal of part of the driveline from the subcutaneous tissue in the region of infection, with extensive debridement of the wound is appropriate therapeutic option for patients with driveline infection.