ANN ARBOR, MI – A new generation of implanted heart-assisting pump does very well at helping severely ill heart-failure patients survive, and thrive, until they receive a heart transplant, a new national study shows. And, in addition to helping 75 percent of patients stay alive for at least six months or until a donor heart became available, the device also helped patients’ original hearts regain function and allowed their other organs to heal by restoring blood flow. One patient recovered so fully that a transplant was no longer needed. Patients’ quality of life also improved significantly.
