Ashley Kelly, BSN, RN, PCCN, VAD-C: No financial relationships to disclose
Background: - Historical use of caution in implanting durable MCS devices in patients with advanced age - The STS INTERMACs 2025 Annual Report highlights a focus group of patients age 65 and older that demonstrates excellent outcomes for survival, quality of life, and adverse events
Methods: - Literature review - Electronic medical record review
Outcome: - Analyze patient’s pre-VAD implant profile (will include the following): - MRB documentation - Psychosocial assessment - Nutrition assessment - PT assessment - Surgical assessment - Analyze post-VAD patient characteristics - Solid care plan with devoted wife and family - Compliance with clinic visits, medications, and recommendations made by medical team - Early communication with LVAD team when concerns present - Patient is active and goes to gym - Organized, attentive to details and involved in his own care - LVAD implantation in octogenarian patient - 10 years on HeartMate II device support - Free of device-specific complications – bleeding, stroke, driveline infection
Conclusion: Advanced age alone should not be an absolute contraindication to durable MCS therapy
