Cardiac Replacement with a Total Artificial Heart as a Bridge to Transplantation

Abstract

The CardioWest Total Artificial Heart orthotopically replaces both native cardiac ventricles and all cardiac valves, thus eliminating problems commonly seen in the bridge to transplantation with left ventricular and biventricular assist devices, such as right heart failure, valvular regurgitation, cardiac arrhythmias, ventricular clots, intraventricular communications, and low blood flows.