Intracorporeal (abdominal) left ventricular assist devices or partial artificial hearts: A five-year clinical experience.

An intracorporeal (abdominal) left ventricular assist device (ALVAD) or partial artificial heart was designed, developed, extensively tested in vitro and in vivo, and subsequently approved for controlled clinical trials in institutions. The ALVAD is pneumatically actuated, synchronously or asynchronously, with an external console and is interposed between the apex of the left ventricle and infrarenal abdominal aorta. The implantation techniques are straightforward and replicable. The ALVAD was used in weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass to support the circulation in cardiogenic shock after infarction and as a bridge to cardiac transplantation. It was found that the profoundly depressed human left (and right) ventricles initially incapable of ejection can recover if totally supported with this device. This experience strongly suggests that ALVADs should be used early in instances of intra-aortic balloon pump inadequacy.