| Figures/T
ablesFigures/T
ables | ReferencesReferencesml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>Left ventricul
ar
assist devices (LVADs) h
ave been incre
asingly used for 20 ye
ars in ter
min
ally ill p
atients with
adv
anced he
art f
ailure or
aw
aiting c
ardi
ac tr
anspl
ant
ation. Despite i
mprove
ment in
morbidity
and
mort
ality fro
m use of these devices, qu
ality of life
may be li
mited by c
at
ar
act. Access to c
at
ar
act surgery in this predo
min
antly elderly popul
ation is essenti
al but li
mited by unf
amili
arity with these devices. We describe ph
acoe
mulsific
ation
and intr
aocul
ar lens i
mpl
ant
ation in 2 p
atients with LVADs. The p
atients h
ad extensive preoper
ative c
ardiology ev
alu
ations
and were instructed to continue w
arf
arin through the d
ay of surgery. Monitored sed
ation w
as used with fent
anyl
and
mid
azol
am. Both p
atients experienced signific
ant i
mprove
ment in visu
al
acuity
and qu
ality of life. Neither experienced intr
aoper
ative he
modyn
amic inst
ability. C
at
ar
act surgery
may be s
afely perfor
med in p
atients with LVAD support when
adequ
ate
monitoring resources
are
av
ail
able.
ass="h4">Financial Disclosure
No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.