Surgery

Surgery can repair some underlying causes of heart failure, such as blockage of the coronary arteries, a valve problem, a congenital heart defect, or too thick of a pericardium. However, once the heart's ability to pump blood is severely, permanently, and irreversibly impaired, no surgery can repair the damage. The only alternative is a heart transplant. This option is for patients who are not elderly and who do not have other medical conditions that would make it unlikely for a heart transplant to be successful. Heart transplant evaluations are done in specialized centers.

• Intra-aortic balloon pump is used as a temporary support of left ventricle function, such as in a large heart attack, waiting for the heart to recover.
  
  
• Left ventricle assist device (LVAD) is surgically implanted to mechanically bypass the left ventricle. A clinical trial showed that complications are too high and the device did not significantly prolong life if used on a long-term basis. This device is used as a temporary left ventricle support to get the patient awaiting a heart transplant out of bed.
  
  
• Left ventricle volume reduction surgery, which removes a piece of dead heart muscle, is considered experimental at this time.
  
  
• Totally implantable artificial hearts are being developed for patients with severe, end-stage heart failure. 
  
  
  • These devices are most commonly used as a temporary bridge to heart transplantation.
    
    
  • This technique is constantly improving but is still limited to specialized centers and is considered experimental at this time.
  
  

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Congestive Heart Failure - Symptoms Experienced

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