Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs)

Today, the Thoratec Heartmate®® IP LVAS is used worldwide as a bridge to heart transplantation. The HeartMate can greatly improve the clinical status of bridge-to-transplant patients.

Most patients who are in New York Heart Association Functional Class IV (very severe heart failure) before receiving the HeartMate can improve to Class I while supported by the device. Meanwhile, they can be rehabilitated physically.

When patients are supported by the HeartMate for more than 30 days, the outcome of transplantation improves.

The Thoratec Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) can be used to support patients with acute and chronic heart failure. Doctors have gained approximately 20 years of experience with this system at numerous medical centers around the world.

The Pump

One or two Thoratec VADs can be used to provide left, right, or biventricular support. The blood pump is positioned outside the body (extracorporeally) and connected to tubes (called cannulas) inserted into the heart.

The pump has a rigid plastic case that contains a flexible pumping sac. Blood is ejected from the pump when the  sac is compressed by air from the external control console. Within the inflow and outflow conduits, mechanical valves control the direction of blood flow. The Thoratec VAD has a stroke volume of 65 milliliters. It can be operated at up to 100 beats per minute, resulting in blood flow rates of up to 7 liters per minute.

Last Updated: December 03, 2007