Abbott HeartMate 3 LVAD
Abbott HeartMate 3
This device isn’t new, but the FDA broadened its potential patient base in January by approving its implantation via lateral thoracotomy — a less invasive approach than open-heart surgery. The approval came about a year and a half after Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) won a similar approval for the competing HeartWare HVAD pump.
The FDA approved HeartMate 3 in 2017 as a “bridge” device for advanced heart failure patients waiting for a transplant. A year later, the agency approved HeartMate 3 as a destination therapy for people who need a new heart but are not eligible for a transplant.
Lateral thoracotomy involves a surgeon making an incision between a person’s ribs to access the heart. The procedure results in less bleeding and shortened recovery time, according to Abbott.
