Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) - Dr. Jonathan Chen

Dr. Jonathan Chen, the Site Chief for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City, explains how Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) work and how they can benefit patients with heart failure.

LVADs are implantable devices that help the heart pump blood. They can be used as a temporary therapy, allowing patients' hearts to rest while they recover from cardiac events such as heart attacks, or while they wait for hearts to become available for transplants. For some patients whose hearts are unlikely to recover and are not candidates for heart transplants, the devices may be used as a permanent therapy. Heart failure, especially in severe forms, can force patients to lead restricted lives because often even very limited physical activity, such as walking from one room to another, will leave them breathless.

Dr. Chen is a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon, yet the information in the video is applicable to adult patients as well.

You can learn more about Dr. Chen and his work at http://www.cornellheartsurgery.org.

Category:

Science & Technology

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• Dr. Jonathan Chen
• LVAD
• heart failure