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Patent Pending VADs are distinct from artificial hearts, which are designed to completely take over cardiac function and generally require the removal of the patient's heart. VADs are designed to assist either the right (RVAD) or left (LVAD) ventricle, or both at once (BiVAD). The type that is used depends primarily on the underlying heart disease and the pulmonary arterial resistance that determines the load on the right ventricle.