Ventricular assist device (VAD)
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Ventricular assist device (VAD)
Illustration copyright 2002 Nucleus Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.nucleusinc.com
A ventricular assist device (VAD) is surgically placed inside the chest to pump blood that is normally pumped by the heart. In the above illustration for left-sided heart failure, blood is pulled from the left ventricle into the VAD, which pumps the blood to the aorta, where it is routed to the rest of the body. In a right-sided VAD, the tubes will be attached into your right ventricle and pulmonary artery. A wire extends outside the body and is attached to a battery pack, which is worn on a shoulder strap, and a pager-sized control system, worn on a belt.
Credits
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology |
| Last Updated | September 1, 2006 |
| Last updated: | September 01, 2006 |
|---|---|
| Reviewed By: | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine, Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology |
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