A disposable ventricle assist device (VAD) including atrium, ventricle and trileaflet valves (all polyurethane) can be driven either a) by its original self adjusting drive unit (ABIOMED BVS 5000) or b) by a standard intra-aortic balloon pump console (DATASCOPE). Maximum flow in vitro was 4.3 l/min with the original drive console versus 9.2 l/min for activation with the intra-aortic balloon pump console. Performance characteristics of the VAD were evaluated in 11 bovine experiments. In vivo left ventricular assist for up to 24 hours with VAD and either original drive console or standard intra-aortic balloon pump console showed superior flow on activation with the intra-aortic balloon pump console (5.3 +/- 1.7 l/min) versus original drive console (3.5 +/- 0.5 l/min). After 6 hours of assist (before any transfusions) there was no significant difference in classic parameters for evaluation of blood trauma such as plasma hemoglobin production, LDH production and platelet depletion. We conclude that VAD is extremely simple to use. Activation by an intra-aortic balloon pump console enables significant increase of VAD-output without detectable increase of blood trauma. Successful weaning of VAD activated with standard intra-aortic balloon pump console was possible in a first clinical application.