Life with a Mechanical Heart Pump (LVAD)

My life has been extended three years by an implanted mechanical heart pump (Left Ventricular Assist Device) like the one which surgeons have chosen to help extend the life of former Vice President Dick Cheney. I was weeks to months away from death due to a very rapidly failing heart, and was too old (70) for a transplant. My device is a HeartMate II which is manufactured by Thoratec Corporation. (Thoratec.com )

The very small, continuous-flow pump, which is implanted in my abdominal cavity, is attached to the right side of my heart and acts as a booster pump to make up for the weakness of my own heart.

On the exterior of my body I have a small “fanny pack” which holds the controller, and I wear a lightweight holster vest which holds two batteries. The electrical power line passes through a port in the muscle of my lower abdomen. The batteries are rechargeable and last me about 12 hours. At bedtime I remove the batteries and attach the pump leads to a 20-foot tether which is connected to the battery charger.

Quality of Life Before The LVAD

Before I received the LVAD, the ejection fraction (a measure of pumping efficiency) of my heart had dropped to around 11% instead of the healthy heart value of 50-60%. I could not walk from the house to our car without getting out of breath. I was tired most of the time and felt my quality of life had gone to zero. My complexion was ashen. Even though the surgery was going to be high risk (8 hours) and the pump was still in clinical trials, my family and I felt we should go for it.

Quality of Life With The LVAD

The first thing my family noticed after the surgery, was that my color had returned. This was confirmed when we viewed the pictures taken at my 70 th birthday surprise party. My recovery and training in the care and operation of the LVAD lasted about three weeks. During this period, my wife was fully trained on the proper procedures for changing the sterile dressing on my power line entry point. This must be done every other day to prevent infection. And, yes, I do have equipment that allows me to take a shower.

With the LVAD I am able to walk a mile at 2.5 miles per hour, twice each week, I can do light yard work, enjoy my woodworking, play ball with my Grandson, help around the house, continue with my stroke advocacy visits at the hospital, and do some occasional fly fishing as long as I do not get wet. I am so thankful for the things that I can now do, that I refuse to reflect on those things I can no longer do. When friends ask me how long I think my pump will last, I tell them it has a “limited lifetime warranty”.

It has not been a walk in the park, but at least I am on the right side of the grass!