Use of the Flowmaker (Jarvik 2000) left ventricular assist device for destination therapy and bridging to transplantation.
The Flowmaker left ventricular assist device (formerly known as the Jarvik 2000) is an axial-flow pump that provides continuous flow from the left ventricle to the aorta. Designed for either temporary or permanent use, the Flowmaker is undergoing clinical trials in the United States and Europe. The goal of this therapy is to provide adequate circulatory flow while partially reducing the left ventricular size and end-diastolic pressure. This gives the native ventricle an opportunity to remodel itself. Those who benefit the most from this technology are patients who require only true left ventricular assistance rather than total capture of the left ventricular output. Because of the Flowmaker's simplicity and safety of implantation, as well as the absence of late pump failure, its use may be justified in severely impaired class III and IV (but not preterminal) heart failure patients.
Cardiopulmonary Transplant Service and Cullen Cardiovascular Research Laboratories, Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Houston, TX 77225-0345, USA. ofrazier@heart.thi.tmc.edu
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OH
Frazier
Nyma A
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Shah
Timothy J
TJ
Myers
Kimberly D
KD
Robertson
Igor D
ID
Gregoric
Reynolds
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Delgado
D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D018795:Device Approval; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005060:Europe; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D014481:United States