UAB Cardiothoracic Surgery Annual Report 2015-16 UAB Medicine Cardiothoracic Surgery 2015/16 Annual | Page 21
MECHANICAL CIRCULATORY SUPPORT
TRANSPLANT & MECHANICAL CIRCULATORY SUPPORT
UAB’s ventricular assist device (VAD) program began in 1989 with the first implant of a pneumatic
extracorporeal device as a bridge to transplant. Thousands of patients throughout the world live with endstage heart failure, and UAB’s VAD program offers treatment for these patients through the use of mechanical
circulatory support (MCS) devices, which are used as a bridge to transplant, destination therapy, bridge to
decision, as well as bridge to recovery. Since the program’s inception in 1989, 462 durable VADs have been
implanted at UAB.
UAB is the only medical center in Alabama that offers cardiac transplantation and durable MCS services.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services first certified UAB for destination therapy in 2003, and UAB
remains the only CMS-designated MCS program in the state. UAB first offered VAD implant for destination
therapy in March 2004. In 2015, UAB once again earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for its
MCS device program, which complies with national standards for health care quality and safety in diseasespecific care. As technology improves and health care providers gain important experience managing patients
using MCS, it is important to measure and track survival, functional status, and quality of life, so that we may
continue assessing technology and patient care.
OUTCOMES
Ventricular Assist Device Implantation Volume: 1996 – 2015
50
47
37
40
33
2007
2008
29
30
35
33
31
18
20
15
11
10
33
38
37
4
6
7
1997
1998
12
13
2001
2002
13
10
0
1996
1999
2000
2003
2004
2005
2006
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
UAB Survival Rates (months after device implant): 2012 – June 2015
100%
89%
81%
70%
50%
0%
6 Months
12 Months
24 Months
www.uabmedicine.org
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