Young Mother Is Grateful for Heart Recovery

Michelle Ramponi is an active wife, mom and teacher from Hanover, MA. In October 2022, the 33-year-old began experiencing weakness and chest discomfort, which she attributed to fatigue from being on her feet all day. However, on October 26, Michelle went to the local emergency room. As her husband, Matt, arrived, she was being transferred to the cardiac intensive care unit. Her heart was severely weak and she required escalated support. She was transported to Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, where she soon went into cardiac arrest.

Medical teams worked to resuscitate Michelle before placing her on ECMO support. Dr. Akinobu Itoh recognized that she was in cardiogenic shock likely due to myocarditis and implanted Impella 5.5^® with SmartAssist^® to support her heart and allow it to rest. After four days of support, ECMO was removed. Eight days later, Michelle's heart function dramatically improved and Impella^® was weaned and removed. One month after entering the hospital, Michelle returned home to Matt and their daughter, Ava. Michelle's determination and strong support team motivated her to overcome every obstacle and make a full recovery. She is grateful for her dedicated medical team but most importantly, she is thankful to raise her beautiful daughter.