Limited value found for first-generation heart pumps

"The first generation of ventricular assist devices - tiny pumps implanted in people with failing hearts - are costly but provide limited benefits, a study finds. However, the finding should not affect current medical practice, because the devices it describes are already being replaced by second- and third-generation VADS that are far superior, one expert said. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, used data on almost 3,000 people who had VADs installed in a Medicare program between 2000 and 2006. Half the VADs were implanted as a primary treatment for heart failure, which is a progressive decline in the heart's ability to pump blood. The other half of the devices were implanted after a bypass surgery." - HealthDay News