Saturday, December 19, 2009

Saturday December 19, 2009
The Impella - minimally invasive, catheter-based cardiac assist device

The Impella is a minimally invasive, catheter-based cardiac assist device designed to directly unload the left ventricle, reduce myocardial workload and oxygen consumption, and increase cardiac output and coronary and end-organ perfusion.

The Impella can be inserted into the left ventricle in a Cath Lab via a standard guidewire through the femoral artery, into the ascending aorta, across the valve and into the left ventricle.The tip of the catheter contains a “pigtail” that crosses the patient’s heart valve and rests in the left ventricle, generating flows up to 2.5 L/min. The Impella is hemocompatible, does no compromise to valve function. There is low hemolysis, bleeding, and stroke rates.