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The 39-year-old male patient was suffering from dilative cardiomyopathy,a disease that causes the heart to enlarge and the heart muscle to weaken tothe extent that it cannot provide enough blood flow through the body. Thecardiomyopathy progressed to a stage where conventional treatment was nolonger successful, and the patient was in urgent need of a hearttransplantation.
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Due to the severe lack of donor hearts in Germany, the waiting time for amatching donor heart can be 18 months or longer. Modern implantableventricular assist devices are used to bridge the waiting time. With thesesystems, the heart function can be stabilized and the patients can bedischarged home where they can resume a largely normal life.
Thus Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Roland Hetzer, Medical Director of theGerman Heart Institute Berlin, decided to treat the patient with animplantable ventricular assist device. Professor Hetzer describes theprogress: "The implantation went very well, there were no complications.Thanks to our great experience with the INCOR device we could conduct theimplantation very quickly. We were able to mobilize the patient shortly afterthe surgery, he is now in the cardiac ward. We are planning to discharge himinto a rehabilitation center within the next few days."
Dr. Stefan Thamasett, General Manager of Berlin Heart, the manufacturerof the INCOR system: "Our ventricular assist devices play a crucial role inthe treatment of patients with end-stage heart failure. The German HeartInstitute has been a close partner in the development of the INCOR system.This center also implanted the first INCOR patient. We are excited to also beable to celebrate the 500th INCOR implantation with our longstanding partner,the German Heart Institute Berlin. The continuous cooperation with our usersis an important factor of our worldwide success."
About the INCOR ventricular assist device
INCOR is an implantable left ventricular assist device for adults. Theimpeller, the only moving part within the pump, is magnetically levitated,which makes the pump worldwide unique and ideally suited for long-termsupport. Since the first implantation in June 2002 more than 500 patientshave been supported with the system, some of them for several years. Thelongest support time so far is six years. In most cases, INCOR is implantedin order to bridge the waiting time for a matching donor heart in patientsrequiring heart transplantation. In rare cases the mechanical support canlead to recovery of the heart and subsequent explantation of the system.Increasingly these systems are also used as an alternative for patients whocannot receive a heart transplant and for whom these systems represent alife-saving alternative.
About Berlin Heart
Berlin Heart GmbH is the only company worldwide that develops, produces,and distributes implantable and external ventricular assist devices forpatients of every age and body size. The company is market leader in Germanyand Europe. INCOR is not FDA approved, but widely used in Europe.Contact and pictures: Kerstin Unkel Marketing & PR Phone: +49(0)30-8187-2708 Mobile: +49(0)173-629-0825 [email protected]
SOURCE Berlin Heart GmbH
