Artificial Heart / LVAD Implant

About Artificial Heart / LVAD Implant

A left ventricular assist device, or LVAD, is a mechanical pump implanted to help a severely weakened heart circulate blood, used in patients with advanced heart failure who have not responded adequately to medication. The device is surgically connected to the left ventricle and the aorta, drawing blood from the weakened chamber and pumping it into the body's main artery in place of the failing heart muscle; a cable exits through the skin to an external controller and battery pack worn by the patient. LVADs may serve as a bridge to heart transplant while a patient awaits a donor organ, or as a longer-term therapy for those who are not transplant candidates. Implantation requires open-heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, followed by an extended hospital stay that includes intensive care monitoring and training for the patient and caregivers on operating the device. The term artificial heart is sometimes used loosely for LVADs, though total artificial hearts that fully replace the heart are a separate, rarer technology. India's advanced heart failure centers offer LVAD implantation and the specialized follow-up care it requires, and patients should expect an extended stay of several weeks for surgery, recovery, and device training before travel.