A patient with advanced-stage heart failure recently received the HeartAssist 5® Ventricular Assist Device (VAD), in a first-of-its-kind, life-saving procedure carried out at the Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin (DHZB – German Heart Institute) in Germany.
The device was developed by ReliantHeart, a Houston-based innovator in mechanical circulatory support therapies. The company earned CE Mark approval for design enhancements of the device in Europe only a few weeks ago.
The HeartAssist 5®, a next-generation ventricular assist device that is currently the world’s only fully remotely monitored VAD, is an implantable electric pump designed for use in patients requiring ventricular support due to end-stage heart failure, and offers natural human pulse circulation support to a weakened heart. The device weighs a mere 3.3 ounces and it is implanted above the diaphragm.
At the core of HeartAssist 5® is the 24/7 HeartAssistRemote™ Monitoring System, which uses vadlink.com to continuously receive and transmit patient data to expert clinicians. These optimized device features, combined with a proprietary true-flow measurement system, allow a faster and more precise diagnosis of potential clinical issues.
“The quick acceptance and use of our support device following CE Mark approval speaks volumes and sets us on our path to restoring health and extending the life of millions of people suffering from heart failure worldwide,” said Rodger Ford, president and CEO of ReliantHeart.
Although commercially available in Europe, the HeartAssist 5® is considered an Investigational Device in the USA by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and US clinical trial is expected to begin in late 2014.
ReliantHeart, Inc. is a Houston-based leading innovator in mechanical