View source for Mechanical circulatory support device infection

== Background ==

* Includes left ventricular assist device (LVAD) infections

=== Microbiology ===

* [[Coagulase-negative staphylococci]]
* [[Staphylococcus aureus]]
* [[Enterococcus]]
* [[Enterobacteriaceae]] and [[Pseudomonas aeruginosa]]
* [[Candida]]

=== Risk Factors ===

* [[Diabetes mellitus]]
* [[Obesity]]
* [[Chronic kidney disease]]
* [[Depression]]
* Driveline trauma

== Clinical Manifestations ==

* Driveline site infection is the most common with or without other sites of infection, including pocket infection, [[mediastinitis]], pump or cannula infection, [[endocarditis]], and [[bacteremia]]
* Driveline site infection will have local signs and symptoms of infection
* Pocket infection will present similarly to [[CIED infection|CIED pocket infection]]
* Mediastinitis has fever, chest pain, sternal wound dehiscence or drainage, leukocytosis, and bacteremia

== Investigations ==

* Blood cultures
* Aspirate and culture of any fluid collections
* Ultrasound, CT, or MRI of the chest and abdomen should be considered with bacteremia of unknown source
* Cultures from any removed hardware

== Management ==

* Control control, ideally, with removal of the infected device
* If source control is not possible (which is common), then prolonged antibiotics to suppress infection until heart transplant

[[Category:Cardiology]]
[[Category:Cardiac infections]]