From July 1989 to May 1992 16 patients received circulatory support wi
th a Hemopump(TM) assist device in the Department of Cardiac Surgery o
f the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. The mean age of those patients w
as 56 +/- 13 years (ranging from 23 to 72 years). The mean time of ass
isted circulation was 60 +/- 46 h (ranging from 2 to 168 h). Group I c
onsists of 13 patients who received the device after postcardiotomy ca
rdiac failure (survival 38%). Group II includes 1 patient who received
the pump prior to repair of a large postinfarction ventricular septal
defect (survival 0%). Group III consists of 2 patients for whom the H
emopump was used as a bridge to cardiac retransplantation. Both are st
ill alive (survival 100%). If the 21-F Hemopump is implanted following
a critical indication it can be used rather successfully for mechanic
al circulatory support.