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Bartosz Hudzik on Hemocompatibility in HeartMate 3 LVAD: Progress and Persistent Challenges
Jan 5, 2026, 18:16

Bartosz Hudzik on Hemocompatibility in HeartMate 3 LVAD: Progress and Persistent Challenges

Bartosz Hudzik, Editorial Consultant at JACC Case Reports, shared on LinkedIn:

”Hemocompatibility in HeartMate 3 LVAD: Progress and Persistent Challenges

The fully magnetically levitated HeartMate 3 (HM3) left ventricular assist device has significantly reduced pump thrombosis and stroke, redefining mechanical circulatory support benchmarks.

However, one important challenge remains:
Non-surgical bleeding continues to be a meaningful source of morbidity, underscoring that even with improved device design, hemocompatibility-related adverse events (HRAEs) are now largely driven by patient factors and anticoagulation quality rather than device malfunction.

Optimizing Anticoagulation Quality to Improve Outcomes in HM3 LVADs — European Heart Journal

Key Insights

  1. Hemocompatibility progress with HM3
    Device innovation has led to a dramatic reduction in pump thrombosis and ischemic stroke, shifting the residual risk profile toward bleeding.
  2. Non-surgical bleeding persists
    Despite improved hemocompatibility, bleeding—particularly gastrointestinal and mucosal—remains one of the most common and clinically relevant complications.
  3. Anticoagulation quality is central
    Higher time in therapeutic range (TTR) is associated with a lower risk of residual bleeding, reinforcing that how anticoagulation is managed matters just as much as how much is given.

Strategies to Improve the Quality of Anticoagulation

  • Maximize Time in Therapeutic Range (TTR)
    Stable INR control reduces bleeding without increasing thrombotic risk.
  • Structured anticoagulation programs
    Dedicated LVAD teams and standardized protocols improve consistency.
  • Frequent INR monitoring and proactive dose adjustment
    Prevents large INR swings that drive HRAEs.
  • Home INR testing and digital health tools
    Enable tighter, real-time anticoagulation control.
  • Patient education and engagement
    Diet, adherence, and early symptom reporting all matter.

Take-home message

In the HeartMate 3 era, technology has largely solved pump thrombosis — but bleeding risk now depends on anticoagulation quality.

Increasing TTR is one of the most powerful, modifiable ways to improve outcomes.”

Bartosz Hudzik on Hemocompatibility in HeartMate 3 LVAD: Progress and Persistent Challenges

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