Implantable devices: a bridge to heart transplantation

Abstract

Terminal stage heart failure represents a substantial worldwide problem for the healthcare system. Despite significant improvements (medical heart failure treatment, implantable cardioverters, cardiac resynchronization devices), long-term survival and quality of life of these patients remain poor. Heart transplantation has been an effective therapy for terminal heart failure, but it remains limited by an increasing shortage of available donor organs along with strict criteria defining acceptable recipients.

Keywords

• heart transplantation
• lvad
• bridge to transplantation