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Updated: Aug 26, 2026

Use of a Percutaneous Ventricular Assist Device/Left Atrium to Femoral Artery Bypass System for Cardiogenic Shock
Published on: August 16, 2021
Rotary blood pumps for cardiac assistance: a "must"?
1University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. tmesana@ottawaheart.ca
Abstract:
Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs) were developed following the observation that most end-stage heart failure patients only required left heart support for survival. The trend toward left VAD implantation instead of a TAH has actually contributed to the development of nonpulsatile rotational devices. This article intends to evaluate the current and future technology of continuous flow pumps. Various issues pertaining to the long-term effects of continuous blood flow, biocompatibility of axial flow pumps, and the safety and reliability of such devices need to be addressed. Some of the advantages of rotary blood pumps include their small size, ease of implantation, and encouraging low infection rates. Certain issues such as automatic flow control, device components durability, and hemocompatibility remain unresolved. The quest for an ideal device combining optimal efficiency, ease of anatomical fit, and perfect bioacceptance, continues. Rotary blood pumps are not yet a "must."
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