Doctors at the National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS) have successfully performed a groundbreaking procedure to treat blockages in mechanical heart pumps, known as Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs), without the need for major surgery. This innovative approach, the first of its kind in Singapore, allows patients to recover in days rather than weeks.
LVADs are critical for heart failure patients whose hearts are too weak to pump blood independently. These devices can serve as temporary solutions for those awaiting a heart transplant or as permanent alternatives. However, they can develop dangerous blockages that traditionally required open-heart surgery to resolve.
The new procedure utilises a balloon and stent technique, adapted from a common heart procedure used to treat blocked blood vessels. This method is performed percutaneously, meaning through the skin and within blood vessels, to clear blockages in the tube that carries blood out of the mechanical heart pump. This advancement eliminates the need for open-heart surgery, significantly reduces recovery time, lowers the risk of infection, and improves survival rates.
Assistant Professor Zameer Abdul Aziz, a consultant in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at NHCS, highlighted the significance of this development: “This procedure marks a significant leap forward in how we care for our LVAD patients. Now we can treat LVAD patients with outflow graft obstructions more safely and efficiently, through a small incision, dramatically reducing surgical risks and recovery time.”
With the increasing number of heart failure cases in Singapore and a growing waiting list for heart transplants, this procedure offers a vital lifeline for patients relying on LVADs. Asst Prof Tan Teing Ee, Director of the Heart Transplant & Mechanical Assist Device Programme at NHCS, emphasised the importance of this innovation in providing a safer, more sustainable option for patients with severe heart failure.
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