Abstract 18363: Readmission & Temporal Trends of Post LVAD Placement Complications in Patients With End-Stage Heart Failure

Introduction: 5-10% of heart failure (HF) patients progress to advanced stages. Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have emerged as a favored therapy for end-stage HF as destination therapy or as a bridge to heart transplantation. However, complications and provider expertise hinder its widespread use. Third generation LVAD was introduced in 2018 to enhance usability and reduce complications. We aim to investigate the temporal trends in post-LVAD complications with the latest generation LVAD vs the previous version. Methods: We utilized the 2016-2020 Nationwide Readmission Database to identify patients ≥ 18 years of age with advanced HF implanted with an LVAD. Variables were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth revision codes. We compared 2 groups based on the implant year (2016-2018 and 2019-2020). The primary outcome was 30-day readmission (30-dr), while secondary outcomes were trends in complications, mortality rate, and healthcare cost. Multivariate analyses and descriptive bivariate analyses were performed. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: We identified 7,975 patients (21.3% females) of which 17.1 % (n = 1,214) were readmitted within 30 days. Readmission rates were 17.7% (n = 778) for 2016-2018 and 16.2% (n = 435) for 2019-2020 (adjusted Wald test, p = 0.26). The 2019-2020 group exhibited lower rates of cardiac device complications, vasopressor usage, cardiac tamponade, and peri-procedural circulatory complications than the 2016-2018 group (adjusted Wald test, p < 0.05). No significant differences in mortality or LOS were observed between the two groups (adjusted Wald test, p > 0.05). Healthcare costs were higher in the 2019-2020 group (mean $276,439 vs $315,332, adjusted Wald test, p = 0.01). Conclusions: Complications following LVAD placement continue to impede broader adoption for advanced HF. Nonetheless, advancements in newer LVAD generations and improved provider expertise hold promise for increased utilization. Our study indicates a decline in complications, including cardiac tamponade and post-procedural complications, which may be attributed to newer device innovations. Further research is necessary to explore this correlation in greater depth.