Results from early trials using animals indicate that the pump is effective. The first implants for humans are expected to be available within five years. The pump fits directly into the left ventricle, helping to propel each heart beat's surge of freshly oxygenated blood into the aorta, the massive blood vessel which supplies the entire body. The plastic pump can provide up to 16 pints of blood a minute if required. Heart disease textbook 5th ed.
Medical therapy is the initial treatment for heart failure.
These are the least expensive mechanical devices, but patient mobility is usually impaired because of their size and external position. These have had fairly extensive worldwide use. The Pierce-Donachy Thoratic VAD has been used successfully in both bridge to transplantation and post cardiotomy cardiogenic shock patients. Implantable left ventricular assist systems are particularly important since these devices are prototypes of permanent systems which will provide an alternative to heart transplantation for patients with end-stage heart disease. These devices, however, may not be well suited for postcardiotomy use, as they are designed for left ventricular cannulation only and require removal of a portion of ventricular tissue at insertion.