title: Cardiac assist devices.
abstract: During the latter half of the twentieth century, physicians have had the capability to support the circulation with mechanical devices. This article gives an historical overview of those devices. Various devices and their complications are described and evaluated. Patient selection and clinical results also are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Pennington
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Swartz
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Lohmann
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: McBride
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001243:Assisted Circulation / Q000295:instrumentation; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D004867:Equipment Design; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005112:Extracorporeal Circulation / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000145:classification / Q000266:history; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007423:Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping / Q000266:history / Q000295:instrumentation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration