The Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) Program at CHI St. Luke's Health - Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, home of the Texas Heart® Institute, is one of the most experienced, successful programs in the world. Our surgeons have performed more than 1,000 LVAD procedures. The key to the program’s success is an experienced, highly skilled team that includes surgeons, cardiologists, LVAD coordinators, staff nurses, operating room personnel, social workers, dieticians, rehabilitation specialists, and many other professionals.
MILESTONES
1975
First study funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of an implantable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) for post-cardiotomy support
1978
First bridge-to-transplant with an LVAD
1988
First implantable continuous flow LVAD implanted – The Hemopump developed at the Texas Heart® Institute
1991
First patient in the world discharged from the hospital with an electric, portable, battery-powered LVAD
1994
FDA approval to use the HeartMate® Pneumatic LVAD as a bridge to transplantation (BTT), a treatment option for patients with advanced-stage heart failure
1996
FDA approval to use the HeartMate® Vented Electric as a bridge to transplantation (BTT)
2000
First site for clinical trials of the Jarvik 2000, a miniature, axial flow left ventricular assist device
2001
Completed REMATCH study, which compared long-term implantation of the HeartMate® VE LVAD to conventional medical therapy for heart failure
2002
HeartMate® VE LVAD approved for destination therapy
2003
First implantation in the U.S. of the clinical HeartMate® II LVAD; currently the most widely used continuous flow LVAD in the world.
2004
First patient in the U.S. to receive HeartMate® II LVAD surpasses one year of survival with the device
2008
HeartMate® II Left Ventricular Assist System (LVAD) received FDA approval as a bridge-to-transplant (BTT) treatment option for patients suffering from advanced-stage heart failure
2009
HeartWare® LVAD Clinical trial
2010
FDA approves HeartMate® II LVAD as Destination Therapy (DT)
2012
HeartWare® received FDA approval for bridge to transplant (BTT) option
