Current treatments

The ventricular assistance device better known as the artificial heart is an option to prolong life and a bridge to a heart transplant but the cost is very high (approximately US$ 200,000) and requires surgery with 30 days hospitalization and increases the risk of haemorrhages by 30% and of thrombosis in the pump (2%-5% annually). Once the heart is implanted its use is obligatory and failure of the device can result in death.

Artificial hearts are used to treat a ventricle, but there is a 15% to 20% possibility the right ventricle will also fail requiring a second device and a notable increase in the cost.

The majority of current treatments focus on attacking symptoms without promoting cardiac recovery, due to which the need arises for new, more effective, less invasive and safer devices that can treat the heart as a whole in addition to promoting the reversion of the remodelling.

Points differentiating the IVC Balloonmatic from current treatments:

1. Minimally invasive percutaneous implant.
2. Bi-ventricular performance.
3. Surgery is not obligatory.
4. Potential to treat both systolic and diastolic congestive heart failure.
5. Potential to promote cardiac regeneration.