If you need a heart transplant, a ventricular assist device (VAD) can support your heart while you wait. It can also improve your quality of life.
UPMC offers a range of treatments for people with severe heart failure, including the latest and most advanced VADs.
A VAD is a mechanical device that helps the heart pump blood to your body.
VADs most often provide support to the left ventricle, the major pumping chamber of the heart. Devices that support the left ventricle are known as left ventricular assist devices (LVADs).
VADs can also support just the right chamber of the heart or both the right and left chambers. These devices are called right ventricular assist devices (RVADs) or biventricular assist devices (BiVADs), respectively.
Doctors implant a VAD into your chest and connect it to machinery located outside your body.
At UPMC, we often use VADs as a bridge to heart transplant when medical treatment or surgery are no longer options.
After it is implanted, a VAD sustains your heart while you wait for your transplant. In some cases, VADs allow you to live a more normal life outside the hospital while you wait for your new heart.
Doctors also use VADs:
A VAD helps your weakened heart pump blood to the rest of your body and is used to treat heart failure. A pacemaker uses electrical impulses to regulate your heartbeat and is used to treat abnormal heart rhythms.
There are several types of VADs, including:
You might need a VAD if you are diagnosed with end-stage heart failure and are waiting for a heart transplant.
VADs can also be used as a permanent treatment for end-stage heart failure (known as destination therapy), or to provide temporary support to allow your heart to recover after a heart attack or heart surgery (known as bridge-to-recovery therapy).
You may be a candidate for a VAD if you have severe heart failure that affects your ability to perform everyday activities and causes symptoms even when you are resting.
You may not be a candidate for a VAD if you have:
Receiving a VAD can be life-saving, but it is a major surgery that comes with risks that include:
Our artificial heart services assess each person to design a treatment plan based on their unique needs.
Our team includes:
Working together, our VAD experts will:
Getting a VAD implanted involves major surgery. Your doctor will order several tests, such as imaging exams, heart tests, lung function tests, and blood tests, to determine if a VAD is suitable for you.
Your doctor will review the risks and benefits of the procedure, as well as what device is best for you. Your care team will also tell you how to prepare, not only for surgery, but also for life with a VAD.
Having a VAD requires lifestyle changes. You will need to take certain precautions to care for the device and take medications, such as blood thinners. Before you have the procedure, your doctor will discuss what to expect during and after surgery.
Most VAD procedures take four to six hours.
Most VADs require open heart surgery, although minimally invasive techniques may be an option in some cases. Your doctor will talk with you about whether the procedure can be performed using minimally invasive techniques.
On the day of your surgery, you will have general anesthesia, which means you will sleep through the procedure. A ventilator will help you breathe. A heart-lung bypass machine will maintain blood flow to your body throughout the surgery.
Your surgeon will make an incision in your chest to access your heart. Your surgeon will implant the device and ensure it is working before closing the incision.
After the surgery, you will spend time in the intensive care unit (ICU) and will likely need ventilator support as your body adjusts to the new device. The ventilator helps you breathe as you recover.
When ready, you'll move into a hospital room, where your care team will help you prepare to go home. The length of stay may vary for every individual patient, but you may spend two to three weeks in the hospital after surgery. During this time, you'll learn how to care for yourself and your device.
When you're able to go home, plan to have a family member or care partner available to help you for a few weeks. It's important that you follow all instructions for maintenance, medications, exercise, and healthy eating. This will ensure you get the best results with your new device.
You will need to care for the device and lead a heart-healthy lifestyle. Your doctor may recommend cardiac rehabilitation to help you grow stronger and learn healthy habits.
With a VAD, you will need to avoid:
You should let your surgeon know if you have:
A VAD can support your heart while you wait for a heart transplant. People who are not candidates for a heart transplant can live for years after a VAD procedure.
Your life expectancy after a VAD procedure depends on several factors that your doctor will discuss with you. However, people have lived for months or years with a VAD while waiting for a heart transplant.
When you choose UPMC for VAD care, you will receive:
By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2025-12-09.
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