Protected PCI Provides a Treatment Option and Hope for Certain Heart Disease Patients

Access to the widest range of possible treatments is of critical importance for patients with heart disease. When the arteries leading to the heart become blocked or narrowed, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), otherwise known as open heart surgery, can be an effective treatment option. However, some patients with low heart function and other medical problems are not appropriate candidates for open heart surgery. There is a procedure called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), which can be performed in the cardiac catheterization lab to open narrowed or blocked arteries by performing balloon angioplasty to break away the plaque on the wall of the artery, or by placing a stent, which can open the narrowed artery. 

A procedure called Protected PCI, or protected stenting, is made possible with the Impella® heart pump. Protected PCI is a proven and widely accepted procedure using Impella to temporarily assist the pumping function of the heart. Protected PCI with Impella may enable the placement of a stent for patients who are at high risk for complications or have severe heart disease. Impella enables the heart to rest and recover by temporarily assisting the pumping function of the heart to efficiently deliver blood and oxygen to the entire body, allowing patients to return home from the hospital with their native hearts. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Impella its highest level of approval as safe and effective.

Patients deserve as many options as possible when dealing with something as serious as complex coronary artery disease. Using the Impella heart pump to temporarily assist the pumping function of the heart during a PCI opens a new door of hope for people suffering from certain types of advanced heart disease, giving them the option to potentially improve their quality of life.