Birks EJ, Drakos SG, Patel SR, et al. - Researchers sought to determine if a higher incidence of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) explantation could result from implementing a protocol of optimized LVAD mechanical unloading integrated with standardized specific pharmacological therapy to induce reverse remodeling and regular testing of underlying myocardial function, in this prospective multicenter non-randomized study (RESTAGE-HF). Participants were 40 patients suffering from chronic advanced heart failure from non-ischemic cardiomyopathy receiving the Heartmate II LVAD. The primary endpoint of this multicenter prospective analysis was the proportion of patients exhibiting adequate improvement of myocardial function to reach criteria for explantation within 18 months with sustained remission from HF (freedom from transplant/VAD/death) at 12 months. According to findings, a high rate of LVAD explantation was reported in relation to implementing this strategy of LVAD support integrated with a standardized pharmacologic and cardiac function monitoring protocol, and also this strategy was shown to be feasible as well as reproducible with explants occurred in all six participating sites.