LVAD Implantation in India

A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is a mechanical pump implanted to support the heart's main pumping chamber, the left ventricle, when it is too weak to circulate blood effectively on its own. It is used for patients with advanced heart failure who have not responded adequately to medication, and is one of the most significant advances in the treatment of end-stage heart failure over the past two decades.

Bridge to transplant vs destination therapy

LVADs are used in two main situations. As a bridge to transplant, the device supports a patient's circulation while they wait for a suitable donor heart to become available. As destination therapy, it is implanted as a long-term treatment in patients who are not candidates for a heart transplant, allowing them to live an active life with a mechanical pump supporting their heart indefinitely. Which category applies to you is decided by your heart failure specialist based on your overall health and transplant eligibility.

How the device works

The pump is connected to the left ventricle and the aorta, drawing blood from the weakened chamber and pumping it into the main artery to the body. A driveline, a thin cable, exits through the skin and connects to an external controller and battery pack that the patient wears, which power the pump continuously. Modern devices such as continuous-flow pumps are considerably smaller and more durable than earlier generations, with patients living on them for years.

Who is a candidate

LVAD implantation is considered for patients with advanced, symptomatic heart failure who have not improved with maximum medical therapy. Body size is also a factor, as the device and its components need to fit appropriately within the chest. A heart failure specialist reviews echocardiograms, right-heart catheterisation results and overall health before confirming candidacy, since LVAD is major surgery reserved for a specific stage of heart failure.