ABSTRACT
Ventricular assist devices (VADs) of various design and function principles have been in use over the last three decades for temporary support of the failing heart. Their aim is either for recovery of the heart postcardiotomy or postinfarct, or, more successfully, for keeping the patient alive until later transplantation, in the so-called "bridge-to-transplant" concept. Through the latter concept, which has gained wide application, assist devices have considerably evolved and have been used for periods of 2 years or more (1).
