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Use of Two Intracorporeal Ventricular Assist Devices As a Total Artificial Heart
08:49

Use of Two Intracorporeal Ventricular Assist Devices As a Total Artificial Heart

Published on: May 11, 2018

Destination therapy: the new gold standard treatment for heart failure patients with left ventricular assist devices

Michael Yamakawa1, Shunei Kyo, Sean Yamakawa

  • 1Department of Therapeutic Strategy for Heart Failure, University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.

General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
|December 25, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) offer improved survival and quality of life for advanced heart failure patients. LVADs are increasingly used as destination therapy, surpassing transplants in number.

Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Cardiology
  • Medical Devices

Background:

  • Heart failure is a growing global health concern with limited treatment options.
  • Cardiac transplantation is effective but severely limited by organ donor shortages.
  • Ventricular assist devices (VADs) have advanced significantly, offering an alternative therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the advancements in ventricular assist device (VAD) technology.
  • To highlight the role of continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) in managing advanced heart failure.
  • To discuss the expanding application of LVADs, including destination therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Review of contemporary left ventricular assist device (LVAD) technology and clinical outcomes.
  • Analysis of implantation trends comparing LVADs and cardiac transplantation.
  • Discussion of patient quality of life and lifestyle improvements with LVAD support.

Main Results:

  • Continuous-flow LVADs, like the HeartMate II, demonstrate high post-implantation survival rates.
  • LVADs significantly prolong lifespan and improve the quality of life for heart failure patients.
  • LVAD implantations now exceed annual heart transplant numbers, indicating wider adoption.

Conclusions:

  • LVADs represent a major advancement in treating advanced heart failure.
  • The use of LVADs is expanding to earlier stages of heart failure and as permanent destination therapy.
  • LVADs provide a viable and increasingly preferred alternative to cardiac transplantation.

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