In June 2021, Medtronic stated that it would no longer sell or distribute the Medtronic Heartware HVAD left ventricular assist device (LVAD). On June 3, the firm advised doctors to stop implanting the HVAD System and switch to a different type of long-term mechanical circulatory support. Abbott, its main LVAD competitor, has also indicated that it has the capacity to satisfy demand.

Medtronic took the move in response to a growing corpus of observational clinical studies showing that the HVAD system has a higher rate of neurological adverse events, such as stroke and mortality, than alternative circulatory support devices accessible to patients.

Medtronic said it decided to discontinue selling and distributing the HVAD System due to these results and the availability of alternative devices, in keeping with its commitment to prioritize patient safety.