Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS)
A heart transplant may be the best treatment option for you, but
waiting for a donor heart takes time. A mechanical circulatory support
device helps your heart function while you wait for a heart
transplant. It is called a "bridge to transplant" device.
MCS at Stanford Health Care
We offer the latest technology in ventricular assist devices (VADs)
and total artificial hearts. The second, third, and soon
fourth-generation devices we offer are the most advanced heart support
options available. They are much smaller, more efficient, safer, and
easier to implant.
Our MCS program offers:
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Expertise: You benefit from a team experienced in the most
advanced devices available today and involved in the latest research
into even newer devices. We have been pioneers in this field since
1984, when Stanford heart surgeon Philip Oyer, MD, was the first in
the world to successfully implant and use a ventricular assist
device for a patient awaiting a heart transplant.
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Access to the latest devices: Our cardiac surgeons' access to
ventricular assist devices and artificial hearts is the most
comprehensive in Northern California. Our experts work with every
type of device available today, which means we can better tailor our
treatment plan to your individual needs.
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Minimally invasive approaches: With newer and smaller
ventricular assist devices, our cardiac surgeons have invented new
ways to implant VADs through small incisions that avoid splitting
the breast bone. This is a better and safer way for patients who
will eventually replace the VAD with a heart
transplant.
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Leaders in research: Our team is actively involved in new
research and upcoming clinical trials related to cardiac
regeneration therapy – a technique that implants stem cells along
with heart pumps to facilitate healing and repair of heart
muscle.
Do I need a MCS device?
Unfortunately, only about 2,000 donor hearts become available each
year for the more than 3,000 Americans on the transplant wait list,
according to the National Institutes of Health. A mechanical
circulatory support device can help you wait for a donor heart.
You may require one of these surgically implanted MCS devices for
the following reasons:
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Bridge to transplant: They take over the work of your heart
while you are waiting for a heart transplant.
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Long-term destination therapy: If you are not a candidate for
transplant or surgery, these devices can support your heart long
term.
Learn more about the Mechanical
Circulatory Support (MCS) Program at Stanford Health Care.
Types of MCS devices: Ventricular assist devices and artificial hearts
At Stanford Health Care, we specialize in two types of mechanical
circulatory support devices:
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Ventricular assist devices (VADs): These devices take over
the function of one of the ventricles in your heart. It takes blood
from chambers of the heart and helps pump it to the body, supporting
the heart. There are twp types:
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Total artificial heart (TAH): This device replaces the
function of both ventricles in patients with end-stage heart
failure.