Clinical application of left ventricular assist devices.

In Japan, 32 patients have had application of monoventricular and biventricular assist devices during the past three years. Five of the 32 patients treated by the Fall of 1986 have successfully achieved long-term survival. In this paper we describe our experience with the Tomasu and Pierce VAD in a total of four and two patients, respectively. Four of the six patients could be successfully weaned from the VAD and two of them were long-term survivors. Nonsynchronizing pumping of the VADs was effective, as well as synchronizing pumping. Anticoagulant therapy is highly recommended during the use of the VAD although there was no significant incidence of thromboembolism or thrombus in the devices in this clinical series.