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Left Ventricular Assist

Inova Fairfax Hospital was one of the first cardiac centers in the nation approved to use a battery-operated portable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) as a bridge to transplantation.

A ventricular assist device (VAD) is a mechanical device that takes over the pumping function for one or both of the heart's ventricles. The most common type is the LVAD, which supports the left ventricle.

A VAD is used when medications and other treatments are no longer effective for heart failure. VADs show great promise in maintaining adequate blood circulation in these severe cases. 

Inova cardiac surgeons use VADs as a:  

• Bridge to transplant. A VAD is implanted to support a patient with end-stage heart failure who is waiting for a heart transplant. 
  
  
• Bridge to recovery. A VAD is implanted to support a patient with potentially reversible heart failure. The VAD may be removed once the heart recovers sufficiently.



• Destination therapy. A VAD is implanted to support a patient with end-stage heart failure who is not a candidate for a heart transplant. In this situation, a physician may implant a portable VAD so that a patient may return home.