2011-07-11
Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital (HKSH) proudly announced Asia Pacific's first successful case of Destination Therapy (DT) through implantation of a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) in Mr. Chan, a 73-year-old end-stage heart failure patient. He is the oldest of the kind in Asia Pacific that are usually ineligible for heart transplant due to old age and serious diseases and have exhausted all other medical treatments.
Usually used as Bridge-to-Transplantation (BTT) for patients waiting for a donor heart, this time LVAD is implanted in the patient for DT with an aim to prolong and improve his life. LVAD is a miniaturized heart assist device that can restore hemodynamic function by pumping oxygenated blood throughout the body. Controlled by an external controller and powered by batteries outside the patient's body, the current model can pump up to10 litres of blood per minute, taking over the pumping ability of the weakened heart's left ventricle and providing long-term cardiac support. Today over 7,000 patients are now implanted with this model of LVAD worldwide, and it was approved by FDA for DT in January 2010. Among the LVAD recipients is a U.S. patient that is still doing well with the same LVAD 7 years after implantation.
For Mr. Chan, LVAD is his last option. Without heart transplant, which is not readily available for his age, his mortality rate is close to 100%. Now using LVAD for DT, Mr. Chan can resume gradually most of his daily activities and improves his quality of life.
Bringing new hope to end-stage heart failure patients, the Asia Pacific's first DT is a joint effort of the cardiologists, a cardiothoracic surgeon, an anaesthesiologist, specialist nurses (OT, ICU) as well as strong supportive care of HKSH. As always, HKSH is committed to the wellbeing of patients and general public, pioneering in this ground-breaking medical treatment to prolong and improve the life of end-stage heart failure patients. Such devotion to new technology and treatment will always remain one of HKSH's goals in future development.
Please click here [1] for more information.
Usually used as Bridge-to-Transplantation (BTT) for patients waiting for a donor heart, this time LVAD is implanted in the patient for DT with an aim to prolong and improve his life. LVAD is a miniaturized heart assist device that can restore hemodynamic function by pumping oxygenated blood throughout the body. Controlled by an external controller and powered by batteries outside the patient's body, the current model can pump up to10 litres of blood per minute, taking over the pumping ability of the weakened heart's left ventricle and providing long-term cardiac support. Today over 7,000 patients are now implanted with this model of LVAD worldwide, and it was approved by FDA for DT in January 2010. Among the LVAD recipients is a U.S. patient that is still doing well with the same LVAD 7 years after implantation.
For Mr. Chan, LVAD is his last option. Without heart transplant, which is not readily available for his age, his mortality rate is close to 100%. Now using LVAD for DT, Mr. Chan can resume gradually most of his daily activities and improves his quality of life.
Bringing new hope to end-stage heart failure patients, the Asia Pacific's first DT is a joint effort of the cardiologists, a cardiothoracic surgeon, an anaesthesiologist, specialist nurses (OT, ICU) as well as strong supportive care of HKSH. As always, HKSH is committed to the wellbeing of patients and general public, pioneering in this ground-breaking medical treatment to prolong and improve the life of end-stage heart failure patients. Such devotion to new technology and treatment will always remain one of HKSH's goals in future development.
Please click here [1] for more information.
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