Ventricular assist?

No experience but it could be a life saver for serious heart failure patients as it is a type of artificial pump.

Thanks Harrigran. How long can it be used for? What is the next step?

I think the length of time the pump is used depends on why it was necessary, I have heard of it being used to give the heart a rest while it recovers from surgery or boost a heart that isn't very strong. They have been used to keep a patient going until transplantation too. The fitting of the device requires an operation as it is inserted in the chest with a lead exiting the stomach wall.

Thanks harri.