LVAD

Bryan LVAD team can improve your life

If your heart failure symptoms are getting worse, it might be time to meet with the Bryan LVAD team to consider advanced treatment options. LVAD, which stands for left ventricular assist device, is a mechanical device that helps your heart pump blood from the left ventricle (main pumping chamber of the heart) throughout your body. An LVAD is also known as an implantable heart pump.

Is LVAD an Option for Your Heart Failure

This technology to help patients with advanced heart failure is a treatment option if your heart is too weak to pump on its own and:

• You are waiting for heart transplant surgery. In this case, LVAD treatment is referred to as a ‘bridge to transplant’
• You do not qualify for heart transplant surgery and meet certain other conditions (see below). In this case, LVAD treatment is referred to as ‘destination therapy’, meaning the use of the LVAD to assist your heart is permanent

You may benefit from an LVAD if your:

• Ejection fraction (EF) is less than 25 percent. This is a measurement of how much blood your heart pushes out into your body with each beat. A normal EF is 50 percent or higher
• Heart failure symptoms are at Class 4 which means:
  • Any physical activity causes discomfort
  • You have heart failure symptoms even while resting (no physical activity)
• Heart medication doses are decreasing due to symptoms
• Diuretic medication doses are increasing
• Kidney function is getting worse
• Electrolytes, especially sodium, are getting worse

If you have the above symptoms, find out if an LVAD is right for you.

LVAD Benefits

An LVAD restores normal blood flow to your heart and your body, and has been shown to reduce heart failure/congestive heart failure symptoms such as constantly feeling tired or being short of breath. This can improve how you feel and your quality of life.

For Your Advanced Heart Failure Care, Trust the Known Experts at Bryan

• Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Certified Center – There are only 157 certified VAD centers in the U.S. and Bryan is one of them, achieving this advanced certification level ensures quality care for you
• Named one of U.S. News & World Report’s High Performing Hospitals
• Strong working relationship with UNMC for heart transplant patients
• Our patient care team is available to you 24/7, you are always our top priority

Together, the highly skilled doctors and nurse practitioners at Bryan Heart and nurses at Bryan Medical Center provide exceptional, nationally recognized care for you. We are honored receive this national recognition, yet our greatest reward remains in helping our patients live a longer and higher quality of life.

Heart Pumps Improve Lives

At Bryan, you’ll receive the HeartMate II LVAD, a proven effective heart pump that has helped over 17,000 patients worldwide.

The HeartMate II:

• Is much smaller than earlier assist devices
• Provides life sustaining pumping action to a broader range of patients
• Gives you greater freedom with long-lasting portable batteries
• Allows you to live more independently

Learn More

Talk to your doctor about a referral for an LVAD, or call us to learn more.
402-890-1956