HALFWAY TO AN ARTIFICIAL HEART, BUT ONLY HALFWAY: A Heart Device Can Save Lives, But Doctors Need To Explain The Downsides. “LVAD stands for left ventricular-assist device. It’s an electrically powered pump implanted surgically between the left ventricle and the aorta to boost your failing heart’s ability to pump blood. The stats on LVADs sound good. Overall, they save lives and improve the quality of life for many heart failure patients. But these benefits come with a high rate of possible complications that include stroke, bleeding, infection and pump failure.”