MUSC Designated Leading Center for Heart Device

 

Contact: Mary Helen Yarborough

843.792.3622

yarborm@musc.edu.

Nov. 1, 2006

MUSC Designated Leading Center for Heart Device

CHARLESTON -- The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) received the Center of Excellence designation by Abiomed, Inc., maker of medical products designed to help people survive severe heart conditions. MUSC was chosen one of the four best among 700 open heart centers nationally that use the Abiomed's Ventricular Assist Device (VAD).

The FDA-approved AB5000 VAD device pumps blood in place of a still-beating weak or damaged heart until the heart recovers or until a transplant heart is located. The device also enables the patient to gain strength, which also retains the health and function of the patient's other vital organs, said John S. Ikonomidis, M.D., Ph.D., surgical director of MUSC's Cardiac Transplant Program.

"With regard to ventricular assist, our division is unique in the state in that we offer mechanical assist in a dedicated, multidisciplinary program that offers a comprehensive medical approach to the patient, with all available adjunctive treatment modalities," Ikonomidis said. "In this way, we are able to recover individuals with acute viral myocarditis and myocardial infarctions, support post-cardiac surgical patients in cardiogenic shock, and bridge patients with end-stage heart failure to their ultimate goal of heart transplantation, all in one institution, by one closely knit team, with excellent results."

Such technology also will enhance MUSC's reputation as a top national heart and vascular center when a new facility is completed next year. "This is important, because as organ distribution criteria change to favor transplantation of patients of the highest acuity (i.e., on VAD assist), increasing numbers of patients will require ventricular assist in order to maintain our already excellent transplantation program, not to mention the possibility of further expanding the program to include destination therapy," Ikonomidis said.

MUSC has used the VAD on 40 patients since MUSC's Jackson Crumbley, M.D., chief of the Thoracic Organ Transplantation Service, became the first in the world to successfully operate on a patient using the AB5000 model. That patient, Thomas Fincher of Myrtle Beach, attended today's ceremonies. Seventy- eight percent of MUSC's patients who were treated with the device have recovered. The standard is a 50-percent survival rate. With established protocols and criteria for managing these patients, MUSC also has become a training center for other open heart medical centers in South Carolina.


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