First Implantation in Man of a New Magnetically Levitated Left Ventricular Assist Device (HeartMate III)

Outcomes of heart failure patients supported by a continuous flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) have steadily improved over the past decade due in large part to better patient selection and management 1,2. Nevertheless, adverse events such as bleeding, infection, stroke and thrombus persist and limit the overall effectiveness of this therapy. Bleeding is the most common serious adverse event that results from the extensive surgery required for implantation and blood component damage due to shear forces in the small blood flow paths of current design axial-flow and centrifugal-flow pumps.

Source: The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation - March 7, 2015 Category: Transplant Surgery Authors: Jan D. Schmitto, Jasmin S. Hanke, Sebastian V. Rojas, Murat Avsar, Axel Haverich Source Type: research