Centrimag Right Ventricular Support After Tricuspid Valvectomy for Endocarditis

Recurrent endocarditis of a bioprosthetic tricuspid valve is a challenging condition, which sometimes requires complete valvectomy. We report a case in which a right ventricular assist device, a Thoratec Centrimag Blood Pump (Thoratec Corp., Pleasanton, CA), was successfully used for temporary hemodynamic support to protect the right ventricle until the new tricuspid bioprosthesis could be safely implanted.