Long-Term Survival Under Biventricular Assist Device Support Despite Persistent Asystole.
Ibrahim Oguz Karaca, Berhan Keskin, Aykun Hakgor et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
A 45-year-old man supported with a biventricular assist device remained asymptomatic despite persistent asystole for 43 months. He had no native cardiac electrical or mechanical activity, yet hemodynamics, oxygenation, and device flows remained stable. Echocardiography showed absent myocardial contractility and continuously open atrioventricular valves. The report describes sustained systemic and pulmonary circulation under device support despite complete absence of intrinsic cardiac activity.
What made this case unusual
The patient maintained stable circulation during prolonged, complete asystole, with echocardiographic confirmation of absent contractility and continuously open atrioventricular valves.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
In this case, stable hemodynamics and adequate circulation were maintained by BiVAD support despite absent native electrical and mechanical cardiac activity.