Physicians with Ohio Heart and The Christ Hospital First in Greater Cincinnati to Treat Heart Failure Patient with Surgically Implanted Ventricular Assist Device
Feb 8th 2011
Cincinnati – Physicians with The Christ Hospital Heart and Vascular Center are first in Cincinnati to implant a HeartMate II ventricular assist device (VAD) as a treatment for end-stage heart failure. Thomas D. Ivey, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.A.C.S., implanted the VAD in a 53-year-old man from Harrison, Ohio. The patient is doing well and is available for interview. The patient’s post-surgical care is being coordinated by Santosh Menon, M.D., F.A.C.C., medical director of The Christ Hospital’s Mechanical Heart Assist Device program and The Carl H. & Edyth Lindner Heart Failure Treatment Center. VADs are only available in Greater Cincinnati at The Christ Hospital.
VADs were in the national spotlight in July 2010, when former Vice President Dick Cheney announced that he received a VAD to address what he described as “increasing congestive heart failure.” A VAD circulates blood throughout the body for patients with heart failure who no longer respond to medication or have received the maximum benefit from medical/pacemaker therapies. The heart still “beats” and moves in the chest, but the VAD assists in circulating blood to other vital organs. The VAD pulls blood from the left ventricle and pushes it into the aorta, the main artery leading away from the heart.
“Before ventricular assist devices became available, the only option for most end-stage heart failure patients was a heart transplant – but of the 50,000 people who need a heart transplant in the U.S. each year, only a few thousand will receive one,” said Dr. Menon. “VAD is emerging as a very promising treatment for such patients and can both extend lives and improve the quality of those lives.”
VADs are implanted for three primary reasons in patients with heart failure:
- Bridge to transplantation: This patient will have a VAD implanted to help support his/her life until a donor heart becomes available. The Christ Hospital has partnered with The Ohio State University for transplant support.
- Bridge to recovery/decision: This patient is recovering from heart surgery and his/her heart is seriously ill. This device helps the heart recover from shock. It is used until a decision is made to transplant immediately or until the heart shows signs of recovery.
- Destination therapy: This patient will not qualify for a heart transplant because of other illnesses or age. This VAD may improve the patient’s quality of life at the end of his/her life. (This therapy is not yet available in Cincinnati.)
Typically, a VAD is implanted below the heart. The patient wears a system driver (about the size of a cell phone) that is connected to the VAD by a cable that runs through the upper abdomen. The driver is powered either by a power box/system charger that plugs in at home, or by two lithium batteries that are secured around the patient’s shoulders. The batteries, typically worn as a purse or in holsters around the shoulders, allow the patient to engage in normal activities, such as working or shopping, for about 12 hours.
For more information about VADs, please call the Mechanical Heart Assist Device Program at 513-585-2531 or 866-556-4533.
About The Christ Hospital: The Christ Hospital offers a wide range of medical, surgical and testing services at its main campus just north of Downtown Cincinnati and at numerous outpatient and physician practice locations throughout Greater Cincinnati. Its mission is to provide the finest patient experience and improve the health of our community. For the past 11 years, The Christ Hospital has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s top hospitals, and has been named Cincinnati’s Most Preferred Hospital for 15 consecutive years by National Research Corporation (NRC). The Christ Hospital has been granted Magnet® recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center for excellence in nursing care. For more information about the award-winning services of The Christ Hospital, visit www.TheChristHospital.com.