Dental management of patients with congestive heart failure before and after implantation of ventricular assist devices: linking the missing protocol

Objectives: There are no studies that have reviewed the pre- and post-operative dental protocols for the management of congestive heart failure (CHF) patients before and after implantation of the left ventricular assist device (LVAD). The aim of the present study was to review the pre- and post-operative dental protocols reported in indexed literature related to the management of CHF patients before and after implantation of ventricular assist devices (VAD). Design: The addressed focused question was “Is there a protocol for the dental management of end-stage CHF patients before and after VAD implantation?” Indexed databases were searched using various keywords. Letters to the Editor, review articles, and commentaries/expert opinions were excluded. Results: Seven studies were included and processed for data extraction. The number of participants ranged between 1 and 32 individuals, with age ranging between 14 and 66 years. Dental extractions were performed in 5 studies, and in 2 studies scaling and root planing was done for the treatment of periodontal diseases. One study assessed odontogenic infective foci and other lesions of the oral soft and hard tissues as a preoperative protocol. Six of the 7 studies did not report a dental therapeutic protocol, which was followed for the pre and/or post-LVAD implantation. Conclusions: It is recommended that standardized protocols should be adopted that allow the delivery of safe and effective pre- and postoperative dental care to VAD patients. Such protocols may help influence the morbidity and mortality rates and simultaneously improve the overall quality of life in vulnerable patients.