Mayo Clinic's approach
Mayo Clinic VAD team
A team of doctors and other staff discusses ventricular assist device (VAD) care.
Heart failure treatment expertise
Mayo Clinic provides multiple innovative treatments for people with advanced heart failure, including offering ventricular assist devices as a treatment option for complex heart problems, such as restrictive cardiomyopathy, amyloidosis and other high-risk conditions.
Mayo Clinic's campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota each offer a Heart Failure Clinic staffed by a team of cardiologists and other specialists trained in evaluating and treating heart failure.
Multidisciplinary team
Mayo Clinic doctors with training in a wide array of specialties collaborate as a multidisciplinary team to provide coordinated, comprehensive care. Cardiologists and cardiac surgeons may work with nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physical therapists, social workers and others to provide your care.
Individualized approach
Doctors at Mayo Clinic provide care for you as a whole person. Doctors take the time to get to know you and work with you to provide exactly the care you need.
Ventricular assist devices at Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is one of a few centers in the United States to offer all available device options, providing you a wide range of possible ventricular assist devices, including:
- HeartMate 3
- HeartMate II
- HeartWare HVAD
- SynCardia TAH
- Berlin Heart EXCOR Pediatric Ventricular Assist Device
Accessible locations
Mayo Clinic offers geographic accessibility to Mayo Clinic's campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota from most locations. Each of these three sites can be accessed by nearby international airports.
Pediatric expertise
In some instances, children may be candidates for ventricular assist device implantation. Specialists trained in pediatric cardiology and cardiovascular surgery care for children who have heart disease at Mayo Clinic's campus in Minnesota.
The Mayo Clinic experience and patient stories
Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care like they've never experienced. See the stories of satisfied Mayo Clinic patients.
Teamwork, Tenacity at the Heart of Mat Walker's Recovery
When Mat Walker had a device implanted to aid his failing heart, it was just the beginning of a long road to better health. But a host of Mayo Clinic care providers assembled to assist Mat as he worked toward his recovery goals. After all he's been through over the past year, Mat Walker takes [...]
Chronicling a Transplant Through the Eyes of a Caregiver
Throughout Bob Washnock's journey to a heart transplant, his wife, Pam, was dedicated to being his caregiver. Pam then turned that experience into a book about caregiving in hopes of encouraging and supporting others who find themselves in that role. In the early morning hours of Feb. 20, 2013, Bob Washnock announced to his wife, [...]
New Heart, New Hope and a Real Chance at a Future
After years of struggling with cardiomyopathy, a heart transplant at Mayo Clinic renewed Thomas Kim's health and rekindled his confidence in the future. Thomas Kim had all but forgotten what it was like to make long-term plans. With his wife, Yona, by his side, the 48-year-old spent years focused on trying to figure out what [...]
Comprehensive Care Offers Virginia Man a Path to Transplant
When congestive heart failure led to the need for a heart transplant, Vincent Arnold turned to Mayo Clinic. The care he received took all his medical concerns into account, providing him a way to return to better health. It's been almost four years since Vincent Arnold began feeling winded and feeling like his heart was [...]
Life Beyond A Heart Transplant is Vibrant and Full for Elmo Aquino
Fifteen years ago, Elmo Aquino, a resident of Orange Park, Florida, was an avid runner. He'd competed in Jacksonville's Gate River Run, an annual 15-kilometer running event, several times. But one morning in the summer of 2001, his active lifestyle came to an abrupt end when suddenly, while on a treadmill, he found he couldn't [...]
Expertise and rankings
Excellent outcomes
Mayo Clinic cardiologists and cardiac surgeons have expertise in treating people who may need ventricular assist devices (VADs). Mayo Clinic consistently ranks at a high level for survival in treatment outcomes for ventricular assist devices.
Mayo Clinic offers one of the largest groups of cardiac surgeons and cardiologists trained in ventricular assist devices in the nation. Mayo doctors implant more than 100 ventricular assist devices each year.
Mayo Clinic care team
Mayo doctors and other staff collaborate as a team to care for people who may need ventricular assist devices.
Research and innovation
Mayo Clinic researchers conduct ongoing studies and clinical trials to improve ventricular assist devices, and they have published a large volume of publications regarding VADs. Mayo Clinic researchers have been primary investigators in many national clinical trials for ventricular assist devices.
Mayo researchers test investigational devices in clinical trials. You may have the opportunity to participate in clinical trials of investigational devices.
Also, Mayo surgeons have used their expertise to develop innovative, unusual designs of ventricular assist devices to use in specific cases. In one situation, surgeons implanted an internal left ventricular assist device and an external right ventricular assist device in a person.
Nationally recognized expertise
Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Ariz., are ranked among the Best Hospitals for heart and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report. Mayo Clinic Children's Center in Rochester, Minn., is ranked among the Best Children's Hospitals for heart and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report.
With Mayo Clinic's emphasis on collaborative care, specialists at each of the campuses — Minnesota, Arizona and Florida — interact very closely with colleagues at the other campuses and the Mayo Clinic Health System.
Learn more about Mayo Clinic's Cardiovascular Surgery and Cardiovascular Medicine departments' expertise and rankings.
Locations, travel and lodging
Mayo Clinic has major campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota. The Mayo Clinic Health System has dozens of locations in several states.
For more information on visiting Mayo Clinic, choose your location below:
Costs and insurance
Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people.
In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals, or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.
Learn more about appointments at Mayo Clinic.
Please contact your insurance company to verify medical coverage and to obtain any needed authorization prior to your visit. Often, your insurer's customer service number is printed on the back of your insurance card.
Clinical trials
Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this disease.