Ventricular Assist Devices (VAD)
Some advanced heart failure patients may eventually find that medications and therapies are no longer beneficial. At that point, a ventricular assist device (VAD) may be implanted to help the lower chambers of the heart pump blood to the rest of the body.
Lutheran Hospital is the only hospital in northern Indiana implanting VADs, which are used as a step to recovery, a bridge to heart transplant or as destination therapy for patients who are not transplant candidates. Destination therapy patients are able to live at home and enjoy improved quality of life without constant fatigue and shortness of breath.