CardiacAssist, Inc., a Pittsburgh-based company has announced (.pdf) “the completion of the 500th worldwide procedure to help heart failure patients survive heart attacks, high-risk procedures and other cardiac interventions without undergoing major surgery.” The company is talking about the implantation of its TandemHeart PTVA System, a percutaneous left ventricular assist device (LVAD) with FDA 510(k) clearance for short-term use. Unlike other LVADs, the system can be inserted either by cardiovascular surgeons in the OR or by cardiologists in the cardiac catheterization lab.
And now about the technology:
The TandemHeart PTVA System is comprised of three sub-systems.
· The TandemHeart System Pump provides the circulating power to pull oxygenated blood from the left atrium and to return it to the systemic arterial circulation.
· By way of two percutaneous access points in the patient’s groin, the TandemHeart Cannula Family connects the pump to the body.
· The TandemHeart PTVA System Controller provides operating power to the pump, provides a controlled flow of lubricant to the pump, and also provides automatic system monitoring and alarms indicating conditions that require attention.
The Texas Heart Institute has more about the system…
Company website…
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