Permanent mechanical replacement of the left ventricle.
Patients with congestive heart failure have a poor prognosis and their care is expensive. Treatment with the HeartMate left ventricular assist device (Thermo Cardiosystems Inc, Woburn, MA) has indicated that life for such patients can be prolonged, quality of life increased, and cost of care decreased. Although currently approved only as a bridge to transplantation, the HeartMate and other such devices may one day offer permanent support of the left ventricle as an alternative to cardiac transplantation.
Macris
M P
MP
Cullen Cardiovascular Research Laboratories, Texas Heart Institute, Houston, USA.
D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004867:Equipment Design; D006354:Heart, Artificial; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery; D016019:Survival Analysis; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000628:therapy*