[The electric heart assist device for patients on the waiting list for a heart transplant: a bridge too far].
Left-ventricular assist devices are being increasingly used as a bridge to heart transplantation in patients with end-stage heart failure. However, current evidence does not support their widespread application for this indication. Other indications such as cardiogenic shock in acute myocardial infarction, or severe myocarditis may possibly be more fruitful. The use of these devices in the chronic support of patients with end-stage heart failure has recently been evaluated in patients excluded for heart transplantation. Patients treated with an assist device had a better quality of life than patients on drug treatment, and a greater number of them were still alive after two years (23% versus 8%). In the future, novel options such as skeletal muscle cell transplantation, may offer a feasible alternative to heart transplantation.
Verheugt
F W A
FW
Universitair Medisch Centrum St Radboud, afd. Cardiologie, Postbus 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen. f.verheugt@cardio.azn.nl
D017690:Cell Transplantation; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014850:Waiting Lists