Fortis Bangalore Gives Second Life to Three Senior Citizens Suffering from Heart Failure and Comorbidities via Impella; World's Smallest Heart Pump

Bengaluru: The patients were at a high risk of mortality and above 70 years of age Bengaluru, Karnataka, India (NewsVoir) Fortis Bangalore gave a new lease of life to three elderly people who had been suffering from a failing heart for a long by conducting complex angioplasties with the assistance of Impella Heart Pump within a span of 30 days. The elderly patients were suffering from multiple heart blockages and were left with no treatment options for survival; Impella became a lifesaving option to assist emergency angioplasties on the patients.

The doctors involving Dr. Keshava R (Director-Interventional Cardiology, Fortis Hospital, Cunningham Road), Dr. Srinivas Prasad (Consultant, Interventional Cardiology-Bannerghatta Road) Dr. Gopi A (Director, Interventional Cardiology) Dr. Sridhara R (Senior Consultant, Interventional Cardiology) successfully performed Impella procedures on 81-year-old gentleman, a 71-year-old lady, and 85-year-old gentleman respectively.

All three elderly patients had undergone angioplasty a few years back and were again diagnosed with multiple heart blockages. Considering the advanced age and risk factors involved in performing another angioplasty, these cases seemed inoperable cases. Therefore, doctors opted for the Impella device to go ahead with angioplasty.

An Impella device is a small heart pump that a doctor can insert into the heart without surgery in order to support the functioning of the heart for patients who have low heart function. It can also be used to support the heart in cases of high-risk angioplasties (Protected PCI) in patients with poor heart function and where surgery is considered too risky and there are chances of heart failure.

Dr. Keshava R, Director-Interventional Cardiology, Fortis Hospital, Cunningham Road, explained, “The patient was suffering from multiple cardiac conditions and had undergone angioplasty in May this year. However, he was presented again with heart failure in the month of June, to restore the condition, angioplasty and bypass surgery were opted as the treatment modality, but considering his advanced age, we chose the Impella heart pump as the optimum mechanical cardiac support option. It would have not been impossible to do the procedure safely without the support of the Impella device. The patient underwent Impella-assisted angioplasty to the left main Lad and Circumflex. Despite complex high-risk procedure patient tolerated the procedure because of the Impella pump and was discharged after 48 hours.”

Dr. Srinivas Prasad-Consultant-Interventional Cardiology-Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, explained, “The 71-year-old lady had a history of cardiac ailments for which she had undergone Angioplasty for LAD artery in the year 2004. However, in 2012, she consulted Dr. Vivek Jawali-Chairman: Cardiovascular Sciences & the Executive Council of the Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore with significant symptoms and was diagnosed with a blockage in all the major vessels including the old stent that was placed in 2004.

Back then, she was a borderline inoperable case, but our surgical team took up the challenge and performed a high-risk angioplasty. She was doing completely fine for the past decade but in August this year, she suffered from a major heart attack and was revived at a private hospital in Davangere and later referred to Fortis Bannerghatta Road for further management. After post thorough diagnosis at the hospital, the angiogram revealed that her bypass graft was closed with multiple heart blockages. We went ahead with a high-risk angioplasty with Impella assistance. In absence of Impella, this could have been a mortality case.”

Dr. Gopi A-Director-Interventional Cardiology-Fortis Hospital, Cunningham Road, “This 85-year-old gentleman had a history of diabetes and hypertension and was admitted at a private hospital in Bangalore with complaints of chest pain and severe breathlessness, after thorough investigations, he was diagnosed to have Triple Vessel Disease. He was admitted to Fortis Hospital, Cunningham Road for a complex high-risk angioplasty to left main stem. In view of the complexity of the case, we decided to consider an Impella heart pump to perform angioplasty. The patient withstood the procedure well and was discharged in a stable condition.”