The World’s Smallest Heart Pump Makes its Way to LLU

The Abiomed Mobile Learning Lab program made its first stop in California at Loma Linda University Health (LLUH) on Wednesday, April 1. The Mobile Learning Lab is designed to bring an extremely interactive learning experience of the world’s smallest heart pump, the Impella® 2.5, to a wide-range of hospitals throughout the country. This gives hospital’s staff like nurses and cardiologists an opportunity to get a hands-on learning experience with the Impella® 2.5. The Abiomed team of trainers demonstrated the process of the Impella® 2.5 in the Mobile Learning Lab, using many of the facilities the lab contained like Impella simulators and animations. According to LLUH, “The Impella® 2.5 is a percutaneous, through the skin, heart pump that offers hemodynamic support for patients that have been turned down for bypass surgery or are at high risk for percutaneous coronary intervention, patients in cardiogenic shock, and to stabilize patients before surgery or transplant.” Mary Watson of Phelan, California, is a patient that received the Impella heart pump that had a successful outcome and feels great after almost two years of having the procedure. With a family history of heart problems, Watson had a scan done about ten years ago that showed some blockage in her arteries. As she went to the doctors for an annual check-up and stress echocardiogram test in August of 2012, she was surprised when the doctors told her, “You’re not leaving, you’re being admitted and you may have surgery today.” Watson mentioned that she didn't have any severe pain indicators other than having subtle back pains when she would exercise and walk on the treadmill. However, after undergoing quadruple bypass surgery, Watson was still having these pains that she had prior to the procedure. It was when she told the doctors that she was still having this pain that Loma Linda University Health’s cardiologist Anthony Hilliard, MD, got involved. Watson explained, “Two of them (arteries) are 100% blocked and two are about 70% blocked. After that I had several procedures and then they finally decided they needed to drill out my left main artery and that’s when they used the Impella heart pump.” Watson was considered a high risk patient and that is what brought the Impella heart pump into play. However, even after the procedure, she continued to have these pains so the doctors kept running tests such as stress tests and angiograms, according to Watson. “They found the problem was further down in the LAD (Left Anterior Descending artery). The artery was too small to get a stent in there. Dr. Hilliard injected nitroglycerin into the artery and expanded the artery so he could put two stents in the end and I haven’t had the problem since then,” she explained. A pain-free Watson shared, “My experience here at Loma Linda and with Dr. Hilliard has been absolutely excellent. I've been treated very well from the very beginning through all of the procedures that I've had. When Dr. Hilliard became involved, he solved the problem. He wouldn't stop until he found the solution and wasn't content with me still having pains. He kept doing things until he fixed it… and now I've been good for about a year-and-a-half.” As a “Celebration of Life”, Watson and her husband Jim, as well as others, were invited to the Abiomed Mobile Learning Lab this past Wednesday afternoon for a brief lunch and to have the Abiomed team demonstrate exactly what the Impella pump did and how it lead her to the pain-free life she's living today. “The amazing part through all of this is that I have never had a heart attack and I have no damage,” Watson added. The Abiomed Mobile Learning Lab is making its way through various hospitals countrywide to train hospital’s staff about the world’s smallest heart pump, the Impella® 2.5. [END] Media Advisory: Simulation of the world’s smallest heart pump provided for physicians, nurses and students at Loma Linda University Health – first campus in California to participate WHAT: Members of the media are invited to preview the latest, most innovative developments in heart technologies. The Abiomed Mobile Learning Lab program is making its first California stop at Loma Linda University Health to train hospital staff on the Impella 2.5, the world’s smallest heart pump. The Impella® 2.5 is a percutaneous (through the skin) heart pump that offers hemodynamic support for patients who have been turned down for bypass surgery or are at high risk for percutaneous coronary intervention, patients in cardiogenic shock, and to stabilize patients before surgery or transplant. The Abiomed Mobile Learning Lab is a highly interactive, facilitated learning experience that will be brought directly to the hospital offering cardiologists, nurses and cath lab staff a convenient opportunity to learn about the Impella platform. The Mobile Learning Lab contains various Impella simulators, animations and key information, which are all presented by a team of Abiomed trainers. Additionally, Loma Linda University Health cardiologist Anthony Hilliard, MD, will be available to talk about the significance of the simulation and training. A patient who recently received the Impella 2.5 will also be on hand for interview. WHEN: Wednesday, April 1, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. WHERE: Centennial Complex, far east side of parking lot X; 24760 Stewart Street, Loma Linda. For more information or to RSVP, please contact Briana Pastorino, 909-558-8357 or bpastorino@llu.edu More information on the Impella 2.5 can be found at www.abiomed.com. ------------------------------------MARY WATSON---------------------------------- “Two are about 100% blocked and two are about 70% blocked and after that I had several procedures and then after that they finally decided they needed to drill out my left main artery and that’s when they used the Impella heart pump.” “they came in the room and showed me the pump, several of them did, which was disconcerting at the time but they showed me all about the pump and what they were going to be doing when they drill out the left main artery…by the time they finished I was a mess and then they said okay lets go to the operating room she chuckled. But everything went fine, and during the procedure, you’re awake. “I was awake through the whole thing while they were drilling out my artery and using this pump…it took about an hour and a half. What lead you to have coronary artery bypass? I had a test/scan showed blockage in artery 10 years before. Went in for a stress echo Did you have any indication? Nothing in particular…started going to the gym…walking on treadmill and got a little pain in the back...three weeks prior to having the surgery. Family has heart problems – very high mother, father, brothers, and sister all had heart problems…all but one died very quickly after having their first heart attack. When did you know that the bypass failed? Back pain never went away…exercise would give pain…women symptoms different and more subtle than men. Told them still had pain – still feels the same. Did angiogram, Dr. Hilliard become involved, they discovered that all four were blocked and probably failed within the first month. After Impella procedure Still having angina after walking, still got pains in back Kept doing stress tests, nuclear stress tests, and angiograms They found the problem was further down in the LAD; the artery was too small to get a stent in there. Dr. Hilliard injected nitroglycerin into the artery and expanded the artery so he could put two stents in the end and I haven’t had the problem since then. “No back pain, the amazing part through all this is that I have never had a heart attack and I have no damage.” Impella – Feb 2013 LAD (left anterior descending artery) – Oct. 2013 Suggestions: “Don’t ignore it. It could be very different than a man…it’s usually a very subtle pain in my back nothing you would normally think of as a heart issue…but don’t ignore it.” “My experience here at Loma Linda and with Dr. Hilliard has been absolutely excellent. I’ve been treated very well from the very beginning through all of the procedures that I’ve had. When Dr. Hilliard became involved, he solved the problem. He wouldn’t stop until he found the solution and wasn’t content with me still having pains. He kept doing things until he fixed it…and now I’ve been good for about a year-and-a-half.”