Implant improves health of heart patients Instead of lying helpless in a hospital bed, now congestive heart failure patients can participate in their daily activities while waiting for a heart transplant. A newly developed pump, known as HeartMate, takes over the pumping action of the left ventricle, the chamber of the heart which supplies the body with oxygen-rich blood. Implanted in the abdomen, the pump contains a battery-driven motor and weighs only 2.6 pounds. By providing the body with much needed oxygen, HeartMate ensures that a patient's organs and tissues remain healthy until a donor heart becomes available. Says Anees J. Razzouk, MD, associate professor of surgery, "With this device, patients are able to go back to driving their cars, those who play golf can go back to the golf course, and those who have children are able to play and interact with their children at home." During a routine check-up, heart surgeon Anees J. Razzouk, MD, demonstrates how a left ventricle assistive device was implanted in Marques Jordan's abdomen.     University | Medical_Center | LLU&MC_home | Search_&_index | News_&_events | Employment | Contact | Our_mission All contents copyright © 2001 Loma Linda University. All rights reserved. Revised Monday, January 8, 2001 8:36 AM Send comments and questions to webmaster@univ.llu.edu URL: http: //www.llu.edu