End-stage cardiomyopathy ventricular assist devices

Heart disease is the number one cause of morbidity and mortality in Western society. This problem has become well recognized in the literature over the past few decades, and researchers have mounted intense efforts to remedy the situation. A heart transplant is clearly the most effective therapy for patients with advanced heart failure; it is able to restore them to a near-normal lifestyle, and long-term survival is excellent (1). However, the number of donor hearts available for transplantation is limited to only about 2000 each year, compared to over 10,000 people each year who could benefit from such a therapy.