What is an LVAD? LVAD stands for Left Ventricular Assist Device.
If you have reached a stage of advanced heart failure where your heart is no longer able to pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs, your doctor may recommend an LVAD.
I’m getting my info from two sources:
- MyLVAD – a great source of info and a wonderful LVAD Community.
- Tampa General Hospital – Great people that are keeping me alive.
Today’s LVADs are used in three different ways:
- When an LVAD is implanted in a patient waiting for a heart transplant, it’s called Bridge to Transplant. The patient’s LVAD may remain in place for several years until a heart donor becomes available for transplant.
- If a patient is not eligible for a heart transplant, an LVAD may be implanted as a permanent solution. This is called Destination Therapy and is becoming more and more common as LVAD technology—and the quality of life it offers—continues to improve.
- An LVAD that is implanted for temporary heart failure is called Bridge to Recovery. In rare circumstances, a heart may recover its strength after being given time to “rest” with the help of an LVAD. In the vast majority of cases, however, advanced heart failure is a permanent and irreversible condition.