title: Mechanical circulatory support--a long and winding road.
abstract: The highly public reintroduction of the total artificial heart last year has prompted renewed interest in mechanical circulatory support systems for the treatment of end-stage heart disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, George M. and Linda H. Kaufman Center for Heart Failure, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. mccartp@ccf.org
authors.forename: Patrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D002303:Cardiac Output, Low / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004867:Equipment Design; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D006354:Heart, Artificial; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation