A ventricular assist device (VAD) is a mechanical pump that's
used to support heart function and blood flow in people who have
weakened hearts. The device takes blood from a lower chamber of
the heart and helps pump it to the body and vital organs, just
as a healthy heart would. (For more information about how the
heart pumps blood, go to the Health Topics How the Heart Works
article.) You may benefit from a VAD if one or both of your
ventricles (VEN-trih-kuls) don't work well because of heart
disease. Ventricles are the lower chambers of your heart. A VAD
can help support your heart: A VAD has several basic parts. A
small tube carries blood out of your heart into a pump. Another
tube carries blood from the pump to your blood vessels, which
deliver the blood to your body. A VAD also has a power source
that connects to a control unit. This unit monitors the VAD's
functions. It gives warnings, or alarms, if the power is low or
the device isn't working well. Some VADs pump blood like the
heart does, with a pumpi