Ventricular Assist Technology Supports Cardiac Patients

An advanced left ventricular assist system (LVAS) supports the management of patients with advanced stage heart failure (HF).

The HeartMate 3 LVAS is a novel centrifugal-flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) that utilizing fully magnetically-levitated (MagLev) technology to reduce trauma to blood passing through the pump and improve outcomes. The LVAS includes a centrifugal blood pump that is implanted above the diaphragm (immediately next to the native heart), attached to the aorta, thus leaving natural circulation in place while providing all of the energy necessary to propel blood throughout the body; the device can pump up to 10 liters of blood per minute.


Features of the device include large, consistent blood flow gaps over a wide range of operation levels; this artificial pulse technology is designed to further reduce adverse patient events, including combating the formation of thrombus in the device. The patient himself wears an external, wearable controller and battery system to power the pump. The HeartMate 3 LVAS is a product of St. Jude Medical (SJM; St. Paul, MN, USA), and is intended as a cardiac support option for advanced HF patients who are awaiting transplantation, are not candidates for transplantation, or are in myocardial recovery.

“The HeartMate 3 shows high survival rates, material improvements in functional status, and very low adverse event rates highlighted by zero pump thrombosis events,” said Eric Fain, MD, group president at SJM. “Heart failure remains one of the most costly epidemic diseases in the world, and the HeartMate 3 system is critical to supporting physicians managing the care of patients battling such a complex and challenging condition.”

“The advanced heart failure medical community has eagerly anticipated the expected clinical improvements with the HeartMate 3 system, and looks forward to its broad adoption throughout Europe,” said Prof. Friedhelm Beyersdorf, MD, medical director of cardiovascular surgery at Heart Center Freiburg University (Germany), commenting on the European Community (CE) marking of approval for the HeartMate 3 LVAS.

An LVAD does not replace the heart, but is intended to complement a weakened heart to provide circulatory support. Surgically implanted in proximity to the heart, one end is attached to the left ventricle, while the other is attached to the aorta. Blood flows from the ventricles into the pump and is then ejected out of the device and into the aorta.

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