What Is the HeartMate II LVAS?
HeartMate II Left Ventricular Assist System is Thoratec’s newest Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD). Its goal is to provide up to 10 years of circulatory support to patients suffering from heart failure. By helping maintain appropriate levels of blood flow, HeartMate II LVAS helps patients survive and live fuller lives.
How Does It Work?
The HeartMate II device is compact in size and is surgically implanted into the patient’s abdomen. It is most commonly used with patients who are suffering from chronic heart failure. Blood enters the device through a tube that is connected to the left ventrical of the heart. As the heart beats, the blood is emptied into the device and a second feature, a flexible diaphragm moved by a pusher plate, drives the blood onward to the aorta. Once the blood reaches the aorta, the main artery that supplies the body with blood, it is dispersed to the rest of the body. The HeartMate can sufficiently pump 10 liters of blood per minute, which is ample blood for the body to maintain normal activity levels.
Who Can Benefit from the HeartMate II?
Ventricular assist devices (VADs) are most commonly used with patients who are suffering from heart failure and have expended all other treatment options with little success. In most cases, the HeartMate is implemented with those patients who have reached stage IV of the disease and/or are in a chronic condition and are waiting for an available transplant.
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