MercyOne Heart Pump Program Extends and Improves Patients’ Lives

When Michael Griffin lived with severe heart failure, everyday activities like walking across a room or climbing a few steps were exhausting. He was constantly sick, incredibly fatigued and had trouble breathing.

But a heart procedure at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center in 2020 changed his life. Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) has emerged as a powerful option to help patients whose hearts can no longer pump enough blood on their own.

“Now I'm so happy,” Mr. Griffin said. “I don’t smoke or drink. I got close to God. I try to stay healthy. Once I learned to accept the lifestyle change, everything just got better.”

An LVAD is a mechanical pump that helps the heart’s left ventricle – or its main pumping chamber – circulate blood throughout the body, experts explained. The device, which is surgically implanted, works alongside the patient’s own heart. They are typically used when a patient is in advanced heart failure and medications or other therapies are no longer effective, said Jennifer Goerbig-Campbell, MD, a cardiologist for MercyOne Iowa Heart Center.

The wait for a heart transplant is long, she said, and getting an LVAD can help keep patients healthy while they wait for a transplant. It’s also an option for someone who may not be eligible for a transplant due to age or other health issues.

“It can potentially extend someone’s life for years longer and alleviate symptoms,” Dr. Goerbig-Campbell said.

MercyOne has offered the procedure since 2014, and on average completes 10 LVAD implants each year. Its LVAD team — consisting of cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiologists, nurse coordinators and rehabilitation specialists – works with very high-risk patients. MercyOne is the only health system in central Iowa to offer LVAD.

Symptoms of severe heart failure include shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling of the legs, belly, hands or face, repeated hospitalizations, and signs of poor blood flow to other organs such as kidneys, Dr. Goerbig-Campbell said.

“When people get to late-stage heart failure at those late stages, at that point, the medications aren’t working anymore,” she said.

The LVAD pump continuously moves blood from the weakened left ventricle into the aorta, helping maintain circulation and improve oxygen delivery to organs. Dr. Goerbig-Campbell said post LVAD procedure patients have similar outcomes to those who receive a heart transplant, including quality of life and long-term survival rates.

The newest generation of pumps has fewer complications and malfunctions as well, with a lower risk of clotting and strokes and less bleeding complications, she added.

Implanting an LVAD is a major surgical procedure, which not only requires a multiple-day hospital stay and rehabilitation, but also lifestyle changes and a strong support system, said Suzi Littler, RN, and MercyOne Iowa Heart Center’s LVAD coordinator.

In the immediate aftermath, patients will need to spend several weeks in the hospital and need help driving and managing medications. Full recovery can take up to six months, the team said, and include physical and occupational therapy as well as home health support.

“We want them to lead a better quality of life,” Ms. Littler said. “It can be overwhelming for them.”

Heart failure affects millions of people worldwide, and the demand for donor hearts remains far greater than supply. In Iowa, more than 176 per 100,000 people die each year from heart disease, according to the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As a result, LVADs are increasingly used as long-term therapy, not just as a bridge to transplant. But for patients facing advanced heart failure like Mr. Griffin, the LVAD has become a second chance at life.

“That’s when my life changed,” he said. “I had to make a choice — I could live and make some serious changes or I could continue the path I was on, but it would be a short one.” ABI