CE Mark for Ventricular Assist Device

A ventricular assist device (VAD) that can serve as a bridge to heart transplant for patients with congestive heart failure has received the CE Mark.

The miniaturized axial flow pump was developed by heart-device pioneer Dr. Michael DeBakey and colleagues from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Because of its small size and low weight (less than four ounces), implantation surgery will be less invasive than for larger VADs and can be performed more rapidly, says MicroMed Technology, Inc. (Houston, TX, USA), which is commercializing the DeBakey VAD.

The DeBakey VAD provides rest to the heart muscle by taking over the pumping action for a diseased heart. To date, this VAD has been implanted in 87 patients. MicroMed has recently received approval to expand the U.S. clinical trial to 20 sites and 178 patients. The company believes VADs have the potential to be used as an alternative to heart transplants in the near future. Thus far, the device has supported patients for up to nine-and-a-half months before receiving a heart transplant.





Related Links:
MicroMed