5 million Americans have heart failure, with 550,000 new cases diagnosed every year. Although there are many different methods to treat the condition, heart transplant may be the best treatment for patients with end-stage heart failure, who are able to tolerate immune system suppression medications. Unfortunately, there are less than 3,000 donor organs available worldwide per year. Due to such limiting factors, researchers have developed other ways to assist failing hearts to improve or extend the lives of patients with heart conditions.   

The left ventricular assist device, LVAD, is a battery-operated mechanical pump device that is surgically implanted inside a person's chest, where it helps the heart pump oxygen-rich blood throughout the body, helping the heart that can’t effectively work on its own.  Unlike an artificial heart, the LVAD doesn't replace the heart. It just helps it do its job. This can mean the difference between life and death for a person whose heart needs a rest after open-heart surgery, or for a person waiting for a  heart transplant. 

A common type of LVAD has a tube that pulls blood from the left ventricle into a pump. The pump then sends blood into the aorta (the large blood vessel leaving the left ventricle). This effectively helps the weakened ventricle. The pump is placed in the upper part of the abdomen. Another tube attached to the pump is brought out of the abdominal wall to the outside of the body and attached to the pump's battery and control system. LVADs are now portable and are often used for weeks to months. Patients with LVADs can be discharged from the hospital and have an acceptable quality of life while waiting for

a donor heart to become available.