LVAD Archives
LVAD, medication therapy help patient’s heart recover full function
Jan. 26, 2023—Six months receiving an LVAD at Vanderbilt, Autumn Bowling’s heart fully recovered its function and doctors were able to turn the device off, a rare feat.
Patient’s care journey included LVAD, bariatric surgery, transplant
Sep. 15, 2022—When Veronica Llamas-Barajas received a heart transplant at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in April, it was the culmination of a seven-year journey.
Bariatric surgery gave LVAD patient second chance at life
Jan. 13, 2022—Veronica Llamas-Barajas is the first LVAD patient at Vanderbilt to undergo bariatric surgery.
Novel LVAD allows patient to see family, celebrate milestones
Sep. 2, 2021—Brandon Cochran, a 39-year-old real estate agent in Louisville, Kentucky, was at home with his family in October 2020 when he went into cardiac arrest. His implanted defibrillator shocked him back to life, and he was hospitalized for seven months.
New surgery for heart pump implants helps reduce hospital stays
Aug. 2, 2018—Artel Thorpe Sr. of Jackson, Tennessee, recently became the first person in the United States to undergo a new, less invasive surgical technique for implanting a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) heart pump since it was granted Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approval on July 11.
Tenacity, teamwork, love, drive heart patient’s treatment journey
Nov. 2, 2017—Sixty-six year-old Frank Donatelli knew the $39 he spent to join eHarmony was worth it.
Heart Institute celebrates LVAD program milestone
Apr. 14, 2016—On April 7, a 48-year-old man from Bethpage, Tennessee, became the 300th person to receive a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) at Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute (VHVI).