Enlarge By Cliff Owen, AP Former vice president Dick Cheney said in his statement that he expects to resume an active life. Cheney recuperating from heart implant operation Former vice president Dick Cheney , 69, announced Wednesday that doctors implanted a small pump in his chest last week to support his failing heart. Cheney, who has suffered five heart attacks since the age of 37, says doctors at Inova Heart and Vascular Institute in Northern Virginia implanted the pump to remedy his "increasing congestive heart failure." "The operation went very well and I am now recuperating," Cheney said in a statement released by his office. He said the pump will allow him to resume an active life. About 5 million people in the U.S. suffer from congestive heart failure, a chronic progressive weakening of the heart muscle that results mainly from heart attacks or infections. Over time, the heart expands and grows so thin that it can no longer pump blood. The heart pumps, called left ventricular assist devices, were once used only to keep patients alive until they could obtain a transplant. But donor hearts are hard to find, with just over 2,000 available for the 150,000 people who need them each year. In January, the Food and Drug Administration approved a second-generation device, Thoratec's HeartMate II, that is designed to be used for a lifetime. Two-year survival is about 60%, about the same as a transplant. Cheney's statement didn't say what pump his surgeons used. "In general, when we're considering (heart pumps) for our patients, it's because their options are limited. They've reached a very advanced stage of heart failure," says Samer Najjar, head of the heart failure program at Washington Hospital Center. Late last month, Cheney was admitted to George Washington University Hospital for a few days after reporting he was not feeling well. In that episode, he received medication to treat a fluid buildup related to his aggressive form of heart disease. The pump is implanted in the chest next to the heart's main pumping chamber. A tube shunts blood from that chamber into the pump, which propels it through the aorta to the rest of the body. Although Cheney said in his statement that he expects to resume an active life, Najjar says the pump imposes limitations. A power line exits the abdomen and connects to a battery pack and controller worn in a sling or a belt. Patients usually charge the batteries at night, with their pumps plugged in to a charger. They must carry spare batteries and other hardware with them in case of failure, Najjar says. And the device must be shielded from water or it can short-circuit. Nevertheless, he says, the pumps offer an alternative to many heart failure patients who have none. They are no longer as short of breath, and they may travel, shop, play golf and engage in many other normal activities. The former vice president offered thanks to those who have kept him in their thoughts. Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more