Artificial hearts prove a viable long-term option
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Some US surgeons are using artificial hearts as an almost standard treatment for end-stage heart disease, reports the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The hearts, or implantable left ventricular assist devices (LVAD), help the patient's own heart by taking over most of the work of the main pumping chamber. In doing so they reduce the risk of damage to other organs.