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You have had a heart assist system implanted. For this purpose you had a heart operation.

The heart pumps blood through the body. In the process, the blood flows through blood vessels. The blood supplies all areas of the body with oxygen and nutrients. If the heart is unable to pump properly, it can be assisted by a device. This type of device is called an artificial heart or artificial heart pump. One’s own heart can be protected and supported by this type of device. The aim of the device is to ensure that all parts of the body receive an adequate blood supply. Using a device of this type can also bridge the time to follow-up treatments.

There is a left and a right ventricle in the heart. Major, important blood vessels branch out of the heart. The main artery (aorta), originating from the left lower chamber (ventricle) of the heart, supplies the whole body with oxygen-rich blood. The right ventricle pumps oxygen-poor blood through the pulmonary artery to the lungs, where the blood is then enriched with oxygen.

The operation involved inserting a device into you which consists of some pumps with tubes. One of the tubes connects the left ventricle to the aorta. Via this tube a pump pumps blood from the heart to the body. Another tube connects the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery. Via this tube another pump pumps blood from the heart to the lungs.

The pumps usually lie in the front of the body. A cable from each pump goes to a control unit that supplies power to the device. The control unit can also be used to configure exactly how the device should work.