Long-term mechanical circulatory support (destination therapy): On track to compete with heart transplantation?

Objectives Average 2-year survival after cardiac transplantation is approximately 80%. The evolution and subsequent approval of larger pulsatile and, more recently, continuous flow mechanical circulatory support (MCS) technology for destination therapy (DT) offers the potential for triage of some patients awaiting cardiac transplantation to DT. Methods The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) is a national multi-institutional study of long-term MCS. Between June 2006 and December 2011, 127 pulsatile and 1160 continuous flow pumps (24% of total primary left ventricular assist devices [LVADs]) carried an initial strategy of DT therapy. Results By multivariable analysis, risk factors ( P