The Micromed-Debakey VAD: initial american experience

Background: Bridge to transplantation with first generation pulsatile ventricular assist devices (VAD) is effective and standard therapy for the treatment of end-stage heart failure. To obviate the large size, noise and propensity for infection inherent to pulsatile technology, smaller, quieter axial flow pumps are being evaluated. The largest experience worldwide has been with the Micromed-DeBakey VAD. We describe the initial clinical experience (safety and feasibility trial) with this device in the US.