HeartMate^® II continuous-flow left ventricular assist system

Abstract

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have emerged as a beneficial therapeutic strategy proven to improve the morbidity and mortality of patients with advanced heart failure. Continuous-flow rotary LVADs have been developed in the hopes of delivering circulatory support in a more durable manner with fewer device-related complications. The HeartMate^® II continuous-flow left ventricular assist system (LVAS; Thoratec Corporation, Pleasanton, CA, USA) has become the standard of care for heart failure patients who require long-term mechanical circulatory support. The efficacy of the HeartMate II has been demonstrated in patients where temporary support with an LVAD is needed until a suitable donor organ can be found for transplant (termed ‘bridge to transplantation’), as well as for terminally-ill heart failure patients who are not candidates for transplant (‘destination therapy’). When directly compared with a pulsatile LVAD, the implantation of a HeartMate II LVAS resulted in an overall improvement in survival with a reduction in the number of device-related complications and adverse events. The purpose of this article is threefold: to describe the history of the development of continuous-flow LVADs; to describe the technology of the HeartMate II; and, finally, to review the clinical outcomes in patients who have been implanted with the device.

Keywords::

• bridge to transplantation
• destination therapy
• heart failure
• HeartMate^® II
• left ventricular assist device/system
• mechanical circulatory support

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Stuart Russell is a consultant and has research support from Thoratec. The manuscript was entirely written by the coauthors. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.