Fortis Escorts Heart Institute has claimed to perform India’s first successful ‘protected angioplasty and stenting procedure’ with the help of Impella Heart Pump.
The 86-year-old man suffered from 90% blockage in all arteries with severe calcium composition. Age and 90% blockage were the reasons that no one was willing to operate this old man from Delhi as bypass surgery was an extreme risk. But thanks to Cardiovascular Sciences chairman Dr. Ashok Seth and his team for performing country’s first successful protected angioplasty and stenting procedure.
The procedure lasted for two-and-a-half hours in which Rotablator drilling was performed in all three arteries to remove calcium followed by implantation of five stents. The patient remained conscious and complication free throughout the procedure and was weaned off the pump, which was removed after five hours.
“This marks the beginning of the first heart recovery program in India. The device will help the patient’s diseased heart to rest, recover and function on its own,” said Dr. Seth. He further added, “This device can support failing heart due to heart attack or myocarditis for seven days or longer till heart recovers. Impella can be used to support the heart in cases of high-risk angioplasties in patients where surgery is considered risky and often left with no options. Once the heart recovers, the device can be removed like a catheter. It has been approved and is used in Europe and US.”
What is Impella Heart Pump?
The Impella device is the world’s smallest heart pump which can support failing heart for seven days, even longer occasionally. It is thick as a pencil, approximately 6 inches long and is like a catheter and works on the principle of submersible water pump. Once in position, it works same as pumping motion of the heart i.e., withdrawing blood from left ventricle and expelling it in the ascending aorta.
Unlike other devices which need a surgery to implant, Impella can be inserted into the heart without any operation through groin artery in the Cath lab. This heart pump provides blood flows of 2.5-3.5 liters per minute. It is used to maintain stable heart function and ensures that blood flow is maintained to critical organs such as kidneys and brain.
There are other devices available to support the heart function which may cost around USD 1, 00,000, while the Impella Pump costs around USD 21,000.