Destination Therapy & Permanent VADs
26% of heart transplant patients at Penn
received a VAD as a bridge to transplant in
2006.
Penn cardiologists have aggressively pursued
partnerships with technicians, scientists, and
engineers to design new options for patients
in end-stage heart failure who are ineligible
for heart transplant surgery. The results, which
include new generation ventricular assist devices
(VADs), are available at Penn.
The advantages of new generation VADs include
a greatly decreased risk of infection, greater
reliability and durability, and because they
are much smaller, enhanced suitability for a
wider range of patients, including small adults
and children.
Highlights |
Thoratec® HeartMate® II
The Thoratec® HeartMate® II
left ventricular assist device (LVAD)
is light, small and powerful. Its
single moving part augments the
left ventricle by propelling up
to 10 liters of blood per minute
in a continuous stream from
the heart. The HeartMate II is
considered investigational, and
is available from the Heart Failure
and Transplantation Program
at Penn.
Region's First to be Certified for Total Artificial Heart
The Hospital of the University
of Pennsylvania became the
first heart transplant center in
the region to be certified for
temporary total artificial heart
(TAH-t) implantation. The TAH-t
replaces the heart completely.
Patients receiving the TAH-t
are almost twice as likely to
survive until transplantation as
are patients who received biventricular
mechanical support
in the past.
In February 2007,
Penn surgeons performed their
first TAH-t procedure on
46-year-old, Gary Onufer.
He received a heart transplant
28 days later and has since
resumed his active career. |
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