The current management of end-stage heart failure: two case reports

Introduction. Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome caused by structural and/or functional cardiac abnormalities, resulting in a reduced cardiac output and/or elevated intracardiac pressures at rest or during stress. It is a progressive disease with a high risk of death in the first 6-12 months after the diagnosis of end stage HF. Cases presentation. We present the successful implantation of a left-ventricular assist device (LVAD) HEART MATE III in a 54-year-old male with ischemic cardiomyopathy and end stage HF, and a heart transplant in a 31-year-old male with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy and end stage HF. Both procedures were guided by experienced surgeons and the overall management was according to the current standardised protocol. Conclusions. HF is one of the leading causes of death world-wide. The effort to stabilize and effectively treat patients with ventricular assist devices and/or orthotopic heart transplant is increasing. One of the few drawbacks is the complex Heart Team training, a difficult process that involves each member acquiring the necessary skills and knowledge. The end stage HF Team is composed of a large variety of members, such as cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, anaesthetists and intensive care doctors, interventional cardiology doctors, and nurses.