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Corrigan Minehan Heart Center

Ventricular Assist Devices

Ventricular-assist devices aid the pumping ability of hearts in patients with advanced-stage heart failure.

Explore This Procedure

About Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs)

VADs are typically used for:

  • Patients who require additional support while waiting for a transplant
  • Destination therapy, or permanent therapy, for end-stage heart failure patients
  • Temporary support after heart attack or during high-risk cardiac intervention

How it Works

VADs aid the pumping ability of hearts in patients with advanced-stage heart failure. A small device is implanted next to a patient’s heart and can pump up to 10 liters of blood per minute, covering the full output of a healthy heart. There are several types of VADs, with left ventricular-assist devices (LVADs) being the most used.

Advantages

Devices used at the Mass General Hospital Corrigan Minehan Heart Center are designed for patient-specific needs. In addition to currently available devices, our team uses innovative and investigational devices. These cutting-edge devices are smaller, more durable, quieter and have been shown to improve survival and quality of life.

Contact the Corrigan Minehan Heart Center

Call us to learn more, or request an appointment online.