Transapical left ventricular bypass: a method for partial or total circulatory support.

A simple cannula method of partial or total left ventricular bypass, utilizing a roller pump and outflow filter, has been developed and applied clinically. One of three patients with severe cardiac and multisystem failure was pumped with total left ventricular bypass for six days and decannulated with recovery of myocardial function after nine days. These results are encouraging and suggest that a number of patients could be salvaged from temporary cardiac failure with a simple cannula-roller-pump bypass system.