What happens after An LVAD is placed?

Surgery for LVAD, or left ventricular assist device, typically takes 4-5 hours followed by a 3-7 day stay in the ICU. Thoracic surgeon Hiroo Takayama, MD, PhD, to hear what a patient can expect after LVAD surgery.

Transcript

00:00

[MUSIC PLAYING] This artificial heart is consisted of internal pump, as well as external drive line.

00:07

And you will have to take care of the drive line at home. [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:16

After [INAUDIBLE] is placed, the most important thing to know is that will prolong the patient's life and also improve

00:26

the quality of life of the patient's. This has repeatedly been shown by multiple studies [INAUDIBLE]

00:33

surgery is becoming safer and safer in the last five years when performed in an appropriately selected patient.

00:44

For example, the risk of dying from this surgery is about the same as the other open heart surgeries,

00:51

such as valve surgeries. The surgery itself takes about 4.5 hours, and the recovery

00:58

time in the intensive care unit usually is somewhere between three to seven days. And the additional several days, you will spend in the floor.

01:08

Before you discharge from the hospital, you will receive an instruction how to take care of the drive line.

01:15

This artificial heart is consisted of internal pump, as well as external drive line.

01:22

And you will have to take care of the drive line at home. At home, you will manage your device, including the drive

01:32

line, as well as the exchanging your battery from the one energy source to another.

01:42

Again, we will train you appropriately. And therefore, by the time you go home, you will be-- you and your family will be feeling comfortable how

01:50

to take care of this device. [AUDIO LOGO]