Talk:Ventricular assist device
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I have removed the reference to Gus Rosenberg. The suggestion that his was the first LVAD does not fit with the fact that the LionHeart only entered clinical trials in 2001 whereas the heartmate had completed trials an won FDA approval in 1994. If I am missing something here please say so.
I thought that studies were indicating that pulseless pumps i.e centrifugal pumps increased hardening of the arteries and other ailments related to high blood pressure. My professor (whom works at the UofL hospital) indicated this during an introductory lecture for heart assist devices. Dr. Mouth 03:22, 9 November 2006 (UTC)
I was under the impression from the liturature that I have reviwed that pulseless pumps did indeed lead to more complications, and that as the human body is designed to work on a pulsed pressure wave that most research is headed in this direction. --LucasRN 06:16, 26 November 2006 (UTC)
I've tried to find publications comparing pulsatile with non pulsatile LVADS with little success. You probably have access to more literature than I do and should feel free to edit the article with appropriate references. However I would point out that the most recent LVAD to gain CE Mark accreditation (Dec 2006) in Europe is Ventracor's Ventrassist device which is a centrifugal, continuous flow, hydro dynamically suspended pump. Moreover the manufacturers of the two pulsatile implantable devices that are currently approved by the FDA are both working on non pulsatile devices. For instance Thorotec, manufacturers of the HeartMate have gained CE approval(November 2005) for the Heartmate II, a continuous axial flow device which uses two bearings and is working on the HeartMate III a similar device which uses electromagnetic suspension. World Heart maker of the Novacor LVAD has two projects in development. One is an improved pulsatile device the other is a rotary device (centrifugal electomagnetically suspended). World Heart sees these as meeting different types of requirements (pulsatile for end stage patients and non pulsatile for late stage patients).
The third approved implantable device is a rotary continuous flow approved for children.
Both the Hearmate II and the Ventrassist are currently undergoing clinical trials in the US. (Majurawombat 03:29, 29 December 2006 (UTC))
