Tri-State Area Heart Specialists Convene To Learn About Breakthrough in Heart Assist Technology, Meet AGH Patients Whose Lives Have Been Saved by It

Who/What: Members of the Advanced Heart Failure Team from Allegheny General Hospital’s Gerald McGinnis Cardiovascular Institute will address a gathering of cardiologists from the tri-state area about the new Thoratec HeartMate II Left Ventricular Assist System. HeartMate II is the world’s first heart assist technology of its kind designed and approved by the FDA to be a permanent therapeutic alternative to heart transplantation for patients with advanced heart failure. 

HeartMate II is the first and only heart assist device that is a continuous flow system – meaning there is no pulse, but a continuous circulation of blood throughout the body. HeartMate II is extremely portable – weighing just 12 ounces, the size of a D-Cell battery and powered by a small battery pack worn over the shoulder.

AGH heart specialists helped lead the clinical investigation of HeartMate II, which led to its FDA approval

In addition to the AGH medical team, two patients will share their experience with the device, including;
• GS Gill, 70, of Morgantown. Mr. Gill has been traveling the country since receiving the device on a permanent basis.
• Richard Davies, 39, of Latrobe. Mr. Davies is using the device until a heart transplant is possible.

Where: Lidia’s Italy Restaurant
1400 Smallman Street, Strip District

When: Thursday, March 25, 2010, 6 p.m.- 8 p.m.

Why: Approximately 6 million Americans suffer from heart failure. The prognosis for patients with advanced disease is poor with one year mortality rates exceeding those of other terminal diseases such as AIDS, leukemia and lung cancer. Though heart transplantation offers hope for about 2,000 such patients each year, more than 250,000 have no viable treatment option. HeartMate II is believed to offer NEW HOPE for as many as 50,000-100,000 heart failure patients who are not considered good candidates for transplantation.