Page 16 - Christiana Care Focus February 2019

Heart & Vascular Health | Nextgenerationcare C O N T I N U E D
Christiana Care’s Heart Failure Program has earned advanced certification by the Joint Commission, which accredits and
certifies health care organizations in the United States.
Offering state-of-the-art technology is part of Christiana Care’s commitment as a nationally recognized leader in health care, said Kirk N. Garratt, M.D., MSc, medical director of the Center for Heart & Vascular Health.
“Our patients rely on us to provide them with respectful, expert care and to embrace innovations that optimize health,” he said. “Our successful LVAD program is making
a difference for our patients and for their families.”
With previous LVADs, patients had higher risks of clots, leading to hospitalization and surgery to exchange the pump. That risk is reduced significantly in the HeartMate 3 because the device's rotor is magnetically levitated, or suspended, providing ample space for the blood to go through. Additionally, the newest pump contains a feature that “washes” the motor housing to further reduce risk of clots developing. Stroke risk also is slightly reduced.
Because there is no inflow cannula on the
new device, the team’s surgeons, Franjo Siric, M.D., and Ray A. Blackwell, M.D., can complete
creation of a pocket. This allows the surgeons to implant the device more quickly. Other associated benefits include less trauma, less bleeding and less need for transfusions, less time in the operating room and less risk of infection.
Ray A. Blackwell, M.D.
management, nutrition counseling and other high-quality care in one location without having to leave the state.
Christiana Care has earned LVAD certification since 2011, demonstrating compliance in heart care quality and safety in LVAD therapy. 
difference for our patients and for their families.
a large pocket in the abdominal wall. This peritoneal pocket sometimes led to bleeding and infection. The newer, smaller device sits very close to the heart and does not require
”
implantations more quickly. Blackwell
is the W. Samuel Carpenter III Distinguished Chair of Cardiovascular Surgery and chief of Cardiac Surgery.
The previous device required the creation of
“That is also good news for someone who
is of smaller size, because we can now accommodate them with this newest LVAD device,” Dr. Banerji said.
LVAD program is part of a comprehensive Our successful LVAD I“
n 2018, surgeons at Christiana Care
implanted 10 LVADs. Christiana Care’s
Heart Failure Program that allows
patients to receive tests, medications, stress program is making a
14 CHRISTIANA CARE HEALTH SYSTEM
Kirk N. Garratt, M.D., MSc