Abstract Background Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) is a promising therapy for patients with advanced heart failure (HF), but bleeding complications remain an important issue. Previous series show that acquired von Willebrand syndrome was present in up to 100 % of first generation LVAD recipients. We report the effects of new generation LVADs on vW factor (vWF) metabolism and activity in our center. Methods Fifteen LVAD recipients (HeartWare®, Framingham, MA, USA) were compared to 12 HF patients, matched for age and body mass index. vWF antigen and activity, as well as D-dimers, were measured on hemostasis analyzers. A vWF LVAD-induced alteration was evocated when the [vWF activity]/[vWF antigen] ratio was <0.6. ADAMTS13 and high molecular weight multimers of vWF were also assessed. Results LVAD recipients had similar levels of endothelial vWF production than the HF subjects (137 ± 14.5 vs. 147 ± 11.7 %; respectively, p = 0.611) but a decreased vWF activity (90 ± 11 vs. 132.6 ± 13 %; respectively, p ...