Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) As Destination Therapy - The Nebraska Medical Center

Patients with end-stage heart failure used to have only one option for treatment - a transplant. But now, doctors at The Nebraska Medical Center have gained approval to implant a small pump that can help patients avoid a transplant. And in some cases, the pump can even strengthen the heart, so the device or a transplant are no longer needed. It's called an LVAD, or left ventricular assist device. It used to be used solely as a bridge to transplant - as a means to strengthen a patient before they received a transplant. But now, heart failure specialists at The Nebraska Medical center are part of a select group of doctors approved to use the device as destination therapy - in other words, as a permanent solution. To learn more about the LVAD or the world renowned efforts of The Nebraska Medical Center's heart failure and transplant team, visit http://www.nebraskamed.com or call 1-800-922-0000.