New heart pump available for Devon surgeons

Doctors at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust are now able to use Impella heart pumps during coronary angioplasty surgery

Doctors in Devon have completed surgery with the "world's smallest artificial heart pump" for the first time.

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust said its cardiology team at Derriford used an Impella heart pump during a coronary angioplasty operation.

Patients in the South West previously needed to travel out of the region for the "high risk" treatment.

But that has changed as the hospital is now able to use an Impella to carry out the surgery.

Impella pumps, which UHP said are the world's smallest heart pumps and have been available elsewhere in the UK, are used to treat patients who have had heart attacks and suffered cardiogenic shock, or are in need of high-risk angioplasties to allow stents to be fitted.

While coronary angioplasty and stent procedures have been carried out at UHP before, the hospital has not been able to offer the procedure with an Impella, which doctors at the hospital described as "revolutionary".

A patient underwent the treatment used by the Cardiology team at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP)

Hospital bosses said it had taken four years of "behind-the-scenes work" to bring the technology to Plymouth.

Consultant interventional cardiologist Dr Girish Viswanathan said: "We know that this will be reassuring for patients who would otherwise have to travel long distances or could be too unwell to undertake the journeys.

"We hope that in the future this technology will benefit people in and around Plymouth and the wider peninsula region."

A statement from the University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP) confirmed a patient, who had been waiting for a coronary angioplasty, recently received the life-saving care.

The procedure uses a balloon to help open the narrowed artery, which then allows a stent to be fitted.

'Patient fully awake'

UHP said the procedure is "high-risk" and requires an Impella to complete it.

The statement said: "The whole of the procedure was done with the patient fully awake and they went on to make a quick and safe recovery."

Speaking about their treatment, the patient - who has not been named - said in the statement: "The procedure was painless and like a walk in the park.

"It's amazing what the technology can do."