Update and Review Program on Mechanical Circulatory Support for End Stage Heart Failure held

Hyderabad : An Update and Review program on Mechanical Circulatory Support for End Stage heart failure was held here in Hyderabad city at Hotel Minerva Grand, Secunderabad.

Dr. Arvind Bhimaraj of Methodist DeBakey Cardiology Associates, Houston, USA spoke on the subject – “Update and Review on Mechanical Circulatory Support for End Stage Heart Failure. Are we ready for Iron Man?”. About 50 doctors from Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgery and General Medicine specialties participated in the program and discussed and exchanged their view for the enhancement of heart transplantation program in Andhra Pradesh and Ventricular Assist Devices (VAD) implantation and other latest treatment procedures for heart disease under the leadership of Dr. AGK Gokhale, Cardiothoracic & Heart and Lung Transplant Surgeon, Yashoda Hospital, Secunderabad. The program was organised by Dr. Gokhale CT Associates in association with Yashoda Hospital, Secunederabad.

Heart failure is a common cardiovascular disease with a high mortality rate. Unlike American and European countries, it affects the younger age group too in India. End-stage heart failure is a leading cause of death of modern society. On a conservative estimate, there are at least 1.5 to 2.5 million patients with advanced heart failure in India who can get benefitted by these procedures. For late stage heart failure, heart transplantation is the treatment of choice as it provides excellent long-term survival and a good quality of life and if heart is not available for transplantation or the patient is not fit for transplantation, implantation of ventricular assist devices (VADs) will prolong their life with excellent quality of life.

The huge gap between the need and availability of donor organs led to the progressive use of mechanical ventricular assist devices. Mechanical circulatory assist devices are used in cases of both acute and chronic heart failure. The support devices can be used as a bridge to recovery, bridge to transplant or as permanent destination therapy. Several devices are available which can be used for short term, intermediate or long term. The most radical form of usage of mechanical assist devices is complete replacement of natural heart with a total artificial heart.

Mechanical circulatory support for end-stage heart failure has become routine and is now increasingly used as definitive treatment in developed countries. But still, care needs to be taken for problems such as infection, device malfunction or cerebrovascular events which pose a threat for the patients’ health said Dr. Arvind Bhimaraj.

Despite various modern treatment options, heart disease remains one of the most significant killers of people. Increasing number of people are suffering from end-stage heart failure in which the heart cannot pump adequate amount of blood throughout the body to sustain normal quality of life. In cases which are unresponsive to other medical and surgical interventions, Ventricular assist devices (VADs) provide mechanical circulatory support for patients and in extreme conditions even total artificial hearts (TAHs) can be used, informed Dr. AGK Gokhale. It is important for doctors treating heart patients to know the recent advances, latest developments and treatment procedures and hence this program was organised, he added.