Latest Tool for a Cardiologist’s War Chest

Harlingen Medical Center debuts Impella

The collaboration between medical science and advanced scientific technology has produced the latest state-of-the art, currently available tool for cardiologists and cardio-vascular surgeons in the war against America’s number one killer–heart attacks and cardiovascular disease.

“This is truly an extraordinary tool in that our high-risk patients now have a higher success rate when having to undergo a percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI),” said Deborah Meeks, Chief Nursing Officer at Harlingen Medical Center, one of the leading heart hospitals in South Texas.

“This tool is improving the outcomes for our patients and our results show it.”

Meeks was talking about the world’s smallest heart pump now in service at her hospital. The device is Abiomed’s Impella 2.5 Catheter. It is used if the patient suffers from advanced heart disease and requires the re-opening of arteries, blocked because of plaque buildup. This new heart pump will allow patients whose heart may not be strong enough to survive the standard procedure, to be successfully treated.

For the purpose of introducing the device and educate members of the medical professions, medical students, and the community-at-large in the Valley in the use of the impella 2.5 Catheter, Harlingen Medical Center hosted a one-day training session.

The hospital blocked off space on its parking lot for the Abiomed’s Impella Mobile Learning Laboratory. The mobile training facility is a 90-foot, state-of-the-art, education facility designed to afford knowledge regarding the world’s smallest heart pump. The unit was staffed by trained technicians who explained and demonstrated how the new heart tool works with “hands-on” training for visiting professionals.

“We are pleased to welcome Abiomed’s Learning Laboratory to Harlingen Medical Center,” said Brenda Ivory, HMC President and Chief Executive Officer.

“The Impella 2.5 Catheter has already assisted our interventional cardiologists, in the past, by offering our patients advanced, effective clinical care. And the results have been amazing. This mobile educational laboratory now gives us the opportunity to share, with our community, how advanced technology is saving their lives, right here, at home. It is part of our community outreach.”

Susan Sullivan, RN, ABIOMED Senior Cardiology Account Manager, stated that the mobile educational laboratory travels the whole country from coast-to-coast. They made just one stop in the Valley, here at Harlingen Medical Center.

“We made stops in Houston, Beaumont, College Station, and here at Harlingen,” she said.

“We’ll work our way to the West Coast on this jaunt.” Her ABIOMED parent company headquarters in Danvers, Maine, but serves the medical needs of the country. Anyone wanting more information can contact her at [email protected].

“Interventional Cardiologists, here, welcome the support of the Impella 2.5 Catheter, because it allows the heart to rest during a percutaneous coronary intervention procedure, which reduces the heart’s workload and prevents the heart from being overstressed by the procedure as coronary artery blockages are repaired,” said Linda Bull, Director of the Catherization Laboratory at Harlingen Medical Center.

“And equally important, it maintains the blood flow and blood pressure during the procedure.”

For more information regarding the Impella Catheter at Harlingen Medical Center, contact Manny Chacon, Director of Business Development and Marketing at (956) 365-1848.