Cerebrovascular complications of mechanical circulatory assist devices

Chronic heart failure syndrome is reaching a significant magnitude. Due to limitations in the available treatment options, mechanical circulatory assist devices are assuming a bigger role in the management of this difficult group of patients. Cerebrovascular events certainly appear to complicate the course of treatment using this evolving technology. Some of the events are due to patient-related factors, but some are related to the device and its interaction with the living organism. Differences in the incidence of these complications among the available devices provide the hope that better understanding of the causes followed by design modifications will lessen the occurrence of cerebrovascular events with this form of therapy.