title: Currently available ventricular-assist devices: capabilities, limitations and future perspectives.
abstract: The continuous progress in ventricular-assist device (VAD) technology and the management of patients with VADs has broadened the treatment options for end-stage heart failure patients. The available line-up of clinical devices provides the current optimal therapies to meet the specific needs of each patient. The extended durability, safety, efficacy and improved quality of life of the patients provides sufficient proof for the VAD to be a likely alternative therapy to heart transplantation. The sequential progress from the first-, to the second- and to the third-generation VAD technology is expected to bring increasing benefits to clinical outcomes. This article reviews the current status, capabilities, limitations and future perspectives of currently available VADs by generally classifying them via support duration, alignment of pump devices and via pulsatile or nonpulsatile mode of perfusion. Furthermore, the future direction of research and development for next-generation VADs is presented based on the lessons learned from currently available VADs.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Department of Artificial Organs, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan. ouchi.ao@tmd.ac.jp
authors.forename: Katsuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohuchi
authors.forename: Setsuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takatani
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004867:Equipment Design; D005544:Forecasting; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical