[Circulatory mechanical support. State of the art].

Despite advances in medical treatment, the prognosis of advanced heart failure remains poor. The number of hospitalizations for heart failure exacerbations continues to increase and most patients will ultimately die of complications related to heart failure. Implantable left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) are currently in use throughout the world with increasing frequency. This paper is a comprehensive review about mechanical support, focusing on a general description of the different LVAD, complications and mortality.