About the Toolkit

Welcome to the LVAD Infection Prevention Toolkit. This website is designed to facilitate your LVAD program in reducing a patient’s risk of developing an infection following durable LVAD implantation.

Nearly 30% of patients develop a spectrum of infections within 90 days after their durable LVAD implantation. While some infections (e.g., pneumonia) may not be directly attributed to an infection “non-device related”, others are associated with the device itself “device-related”. These infections increase a patient’s risk of major morbidity and mortality, are associated with decreases in health-related quality of life, and increase healthcare expenditures.

Comprehensive Recommendations

Our team has developed a toolkit of recommendations that LVAD programs may use to mitigate the risk of infections. The 39 recommendations were derived from extensive national analyses of clinical and administrative data, as well as interviews with 73 LVAD team members and 14 subject matter experts.

Customizable Action Plans

The toolkit provides a step-by-step implementation process for LVAD programs. The toolkit does not identify which antibiotic to use or the key components of a driveline dressing kit. Rather, the toolkit provides a framework and resource materials for evaluating your program’s strengths and weaknesses, prioritizing actions and monitoring progress against your goals. We also provide a set of key background references for your review as well.

Our Mission

To improve the quality of care and outcomes for patients undergoing durable Left Ventricular Assist Device (dLVAD) implantation by reducing the risk of infections.

Through innovative, evidence-based approaches and collaborative efforts, we aim to empower healthcare teams with actionable tools, resources, and guidance that enhance multidisciplinary coordination, patient education, and clinical processes. By integrating diverse perspectives and rigorous research, we are committed to fostering a culture of continuous improvement, equity, and excellence in dLVAD care, ultimately advancing the well-being of patients and their caregivers.

Publications

Chandanabhumma PP, Fetters MD, Pagani FD, Malani PN, Hollingsworth JM, Funk RJ, Aaronson KD, Zhang M, Kormos RL, Chenoweth CE, Shore S, Watt TMF, Cabrera L, Likosky DS. Understanding and Addressing Variation in Health Care–Associated Infections After Durable Ventricular Assist Device Therapy: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Res Protoc 2020;9(1):e14701. doi: 10.2196/14701

Chandanabhumma PP, Zhou S, Fetters MD, Likosky DS. Expanding Our Methodological Toolbox to Improve Quality: The Role of Mixed-Methods Evaluations. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2023 May;16(5):e009629. doi: 10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.122.009629. Epub 2023 May 5. PMID: 37144915; PMCID: PMC10178916.

Zhou S, Yang G, Zhang M, Pienta M, Chenoweth CE, Pagani FD, Aaronson KD, Fetters MD, Chandanabhumma PP, Cabrera L, Hou H, Malani PN, Likosky DS; Michigan Congestive Heart Failure Investigators. Mortality following durable left ventricular assist device implantation by timing and type of first infection. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2023 Aug;166(2):570-579.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2021.10.056. Epub 2021 Nov 9. PMID: 34895722; PMCID: PMC9094062.

Want to cite the LVAD Infection Prevention Toolkit?

Use the following citation:

The University of Michigan Congestive Heart Failure Investigators. LVAD Infection Prevention Toolkit. Updated 2025. Accessed MM/DD/YYYY. Available at: https://lvadinfectionpreventiontoolkit.org.