Survival curve for LVADs as bridge to heart transplantation

A ventricular assist device (VAD) is a mechanical pump, surgically placed in a patient’s chest, which helps the heart pump blood throughout the body. A VAD is placed in patients who have worsening heart failure because the heart can no longer adequately pump blood to the body. A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is a specific type of VAD that helps the left lower pumping chamber of the heart, the left ventricle, pump blood to the rest of the body. Patients who are awaiting heart transplantation may have worsening heart failure and require implantation of an LVAD.

VAD placement requires proficiency with the use of equipment and clinical competence in the management of patient care after surgery. While some VAD patients have a higher risk of dying than others, some complications contributing to patient death may be avoidable. Excellent survival rates after VAD implantation may indicate that the hospital provides a higher level of patient care.

The survival curve for the LVAD program looks at the probability (chance) of survival for a certain amount of time after receiving a LVAD as bridge to transplantation based on the program’s previous patients’ outcomes.

About this measure

This measure shows the survival of patients receiving a LVAD as a bridge to heart transplantation at Northwestern Memorial Hospital across time, from the day the LVAD was implanted to 3 years after receiving the LVAD.

Time period: June 2005 through December 2011.

Source: Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Kaplan-Meier VAD