San Diego's leader in mechanical circulatory support devices.

At Sharp Memorial Hospital, we use mechanical circulatory support devices to supplement the pumping function of hearts for patients with advanced heart failure.

We offer a variety of mechanical circulatory support systems to meet your specific needs. These include long-term left-ventricular assist devices (LVADs) such as HeartMate II® and HeartMate III®, as well as short-term systems that can be removed if your heart regains strength or to support you if you're in the hospital.

A legacy of excellence in cardiac care.

More than 500 patients with advanced heart failure — ages 15 to 87 — have received LVADs at Sharp Memorial Hospital since the program began in 1987. Sharp Memorial currently holds the record for the oldest person implanted with an LVAD (87 years old at the time) as well as the longest-living LVAD recipient (the patient received the device in 2002). And, in 2006, we successfully removed a pump from the world's youngest patient — age 16 at the time — after his heart recovered from an injury.

In 2008, Sharp Memorial became one of the first facilities in the United States to receive advanced certification in ventricular assist devices from The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of U.S. health care organizations. We are proud to be a national leader in clinical trials for mechanical circulatory support systems, often selected in the first tier for participation. And Sharp Memorial is also an international destination training center for HeartMate II.

At Sharp, we use several different types of mechanical circulatory support devices. Different devices are used depending on each patient's individual needs.