Economic Considerations of Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) Implantation

Moskowitz, A, D Williams, A Tierney, R Levitan, J Zivin, and A Gelijns, “Economic Considerations of Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) Implantation,” in M. Oz and D. Goldstein (Eds.), Cardiac Assist Devices, Futura Publishing Company, Inc., Armonk, NY, December 1999.

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Tremendous strides in the field of mechanical support have extended the lives of countless sufferers of congestive heart failure, who total close to 1% of the US population. This technology has saved the lives of patients with acute heart failure due to heart attacks, dilated cardiomyopathies and post-cardiotomy shock and sustained patients with end stage congestive heart failure until a precious donor organ has become available for transplantation. In an attempt to address the growing imbalance between demand and supply of donor hearts, investigators are now examining these devices as potential alternatives to cardiac transplantation. This chapter provides an economic analysis of cardiac assist devices as a destination therapy for those awaiting transplantation.