Cardiac Mechanical Support

Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute at Morristown Medical Center offers mechanical circulatory support services to patients whose hearts are unable to provide adequate blood flow to essential organs. Patients who are considered for placement of any of these devices are evaluated to determine if they would benefit from the therapy and what type of support is needed. Our cardiac mechanical support team consists of physicians and nurses, social workers, physical and occupational therapists, dieticians, and other medical specialists as needed according to the patient’s medical history.

There are two categories of supportive devices:

Long-term ventricular assist devices (VAD)

Long-term VADs are implanted in heart failure patients who are no longer responding to optimal medical management . This advanced form of surgical treatment is used as a bridge to transplantation (BTT) or as destination therapy (DT).

Typically, a BTT patient is a candidate for cardiac transplantation but will inevitably grow weaker and sicker while awaiting an ideal donor organ. They receive a VAD to allow the heart to rest, heal and grow stronger before the stress of transplant surgery. With the VAD implanted, they can return to their home and resume near-normal activities while awaiting transplantation.

Destination therapy is permanent, long-term therapy for patients who are ineligible for cardiac transplant. The device is implanted as therapy when no other medical options exist for the patient. Regardless of the indication – BTT or DT – the same long-term device is used. We offer two long-term VADs – the Thoratec® HeartMate XVE and Heartmate II.

Undergoing implantation of a long-term VAD requires major cardiac surgery. These patients and their caregivers are provided with cardiac rehabilitation as well as extensive education on how to manage the lifestyle changes that accompany the implantation of such a device.

Short-term cardiac support devices

Short-term mechanical support devices are either inserted as a “bridge to decision” or as a rescue and recovery device for those patients who are acutely and critically ill. They enable a patient to survive until a decision is made if the patient’s heart will recover or the patient will need to transition to a long-term VAD and/or a heart transplant. They may be implanted in cardiac surgery operating rooms or in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. The Abiomed® AB Ventricle, the Abiomed® Impella and the Cardiac Assist® Tandem Heart are all available at Morristown Medical for these purposes.