FDA approves new Thoratec heart pump

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Thoratec Corp won U.S. approval to sell a new implanted heart pump to keep patients alive while they wait for a transplant, U.S. health regulators said on Monday.

The HeartMate II Left Ventricular Assist System is more compact than earlier devices and can be implanted in women or smaller men, the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement.

The new device is about three inches long and weighs about one pound, the FDA said.

The HeartMate II and similar implants are designed for people with severe congestive heart failure and few medical options.

Thoratec shares briefly gained nearly 7 percent after the FDA announcement before retreating. The company's shares closed down 1.2 percent to $15.97 on Nasdaq.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)