Our Stories

Extending Life with Artificial Heart

13-year-old Terry Emmanuel Louise was at risk of heart failure as he was not able to get a heart transplant amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Our team at Gleneagles Global Health City, Chennai, successfully performed a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation surgery, allowing Terry’s heart to keep functioning while he awaits a heart transplant.

Terry suffers from cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle which makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body, potentially leading to heart failure. He was repeatedly admitted to the hospital with symptoms of fluid overload which required inotropic infusion and intravenous diuretics.

As a heart transplant was not immediately possible amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the LVAD implant was the only option to prevent his condition from deteriorating further.

For this procedure, a ventricular assist device (VAD) was implanted in Terry’s left ventricle. It is a mechanical pump that supports heart function and blood flow for people with weakened hearts. It stimulates a healthy heart, taking blood from a lower chamber of the heart and pumping it to the body and vital organs.

With this implantation surgery, Terry’s heart is now able to continue functioning while he waits for a donor heart.