The Recall Desk
SevereFDA (Devices)·Z-1693-2024·Announced 2024-05-08

Thoratec HeartMate 3 Left Ventricle Assist System Recalled for Seal Leak

Thoratec recalls HeartMate 3 left ventricle assist systems due to potential leaks at the seal interface. The FDA Class I recall affects 659 implanted devices worldwide.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: This is an FDA Class I recall of a critical cardiac implant device. Per the severity rubric, FDA Class I recalls require a minimum score of 4. No patient adverse events or injuries have been reported in the source material.

Plain-English summary

Thoratec Corporation is recalling the HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular Assist System (LVAS) Implant Kit, a cardiac device designed to mechanically support failing hearts in eligible patients.

The recall addresses a potential leak path that could develop at the seal interface between the inflow cannula and the titanium apical cuff. No patient adverse events have been reported, but a leak at this seal could potentially affect device function.

The recall involves 659 implanted units distributed worldwide, including across all U.S. states and numerous international countries. Affected units are identified by UDI 00813024011712 and specific serial numbers.

Patients with implanted HeartMate 3 devices should contact their healthcare provider or Thoratec Corporation immediately for guidance. Healthcare providers have been notified and should follow Thoratec's instructions regarding device management.

The recalled product

Product
Thoratec HeartMate 3, LVAS Implant Kit, REF:106524INT, Sterile EO, RxOnly
Manufacturer
Thoratec Corp.
Affected units
659

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

The notice also names 41 states specifically:

Part of a larger recall action

This product is one of 2 recalled by Thoratec Corp. under a single FDA (Devices) recall action. The agency files each product separately, so the size of the action is not visible from this page alone.

See all 2 products in this recall →