Vale heart surgeon Professor Don Esmore

Vale Professor Don Esmore. Long-time Alfred Health staff member and Monash Department of Surgery adjunct, highly regarded cardiothoracic surgeon and transplant pioneer, Don passed away in February following a long battle with myeloma. Don was instrumental in bringing transplant services to the Victorian community and helped many patients.
He will be remembered for his passion and creativity in developing a heart pump, technically known as a Ventrassist Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD). The LVAD is the product of research done by Don Esmore, Prof Frank Rosenfeldt, their Alfred team and the Australian-based Ventracor Company in the early 2000s. This device was first used at the Alfred and subsequently worldwide. The LVAD enables patients to stay active, as they will recover much better from the major surgery involved in a heart transplant if they are strong, fit and healthy beforehand. Nearly all patients on the waiting list for donor hearts now are kept alive by LVADs.