10044548Developing a percutaneously permanent implantable left ventricular assist device to treat heart failureClosedGrant for R&DInnovate UKCardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in the UK. After a heart attack, the heart is weaker, and struggles to pump blood around the body. This causes less blood to get to the kidneys and brain and whilst patients can take medications to help, they cannot make the heart return to normal, and sadly approximately 60,000 people in the UK per year still die from heart failure. This innovation is a device which cardiologists can insert relatively quickly and easily and works with the heart to improve the blood supply to the organs, and reduce the workload of the heart. It has the potential to either bridge patients to a heart transplant, or even for patients to live with for many years. This gives the potential for the heart to recover, or for them to live with for the rest of their lives, essentially curing them of end stage heart failure.