The LionHeart LVD-2000: A completely implanted left ventricular assist device for chronic circulatory support

Management of patients with end-stage cardiac disease remains a vexing problem. Limitations in medical management and a fixed supply of donor organs for cardiac transplant have a continued impact on this growing population of patients. Mechanical circulatory support has proved very successful as a means of bridging patients to cardiac transplant when all medical options have been exhausted. The development of a chronic system of circulatory support has been underway at the Pennsylvania State University for nearly 30 years. These efforts have been recently merged with the industrial partnership with Arrow International toward the development of the LionHeart LVD-2000 (Arrow International, Reading, PA) completely implanted left ventricular support system. We present an overview of the system, details of implantation, a review of preclinical studies, and a synopsis of the first European implants. Early results have demonstrated the system to be safe, effective, and reliable. Transcutaneous energy transmission and the compliance chamber have been validated. (C) 2001 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.