Overview

Heart Failure doesn’t mean heart fail; in fact, it is condition in which heart cannot pump enough blood to meet body’s need. It is a condition which develops over time. The Advanced Heart Failure program is backed by a comprehensive team of 40 doctors, who have a cumulative surgical and clinical expertise of more than 30 years. The Advanced Heart Failure program is equipped with newest technology and backed by adept clinical and surgical expertise for handling any critical procedures. We undertake various acute lifesaving procedures at our hospital mainly Heart Transplant, VAD & ECMO.

Heart Failure

An advanced procedure for patients with end-stage heart failure, where in the condition of heart is extremely weak or damaged. In a Heart Transplant deceased, failing heart is replaced with the heart of donor who is having a healthier heart.

Ventricular Assist Device (VAD)

A ventricular assist device (VAD) is a mechanical pump, implanted in the heart to pump blood from the lower chambers of your heart (the ventricles) to the rest of your body. When this VAD is placed in the left ventricle then it is called Left Ventricle Assisted Device (LVAD) and when it is placed in the right side then it is called Right Ventricle Assisted Device (RVAD). At Fortis Escorts Heart Institute we have been performing this procedure since 2015. This procedure is done when one is suffering from heart failure but is not qualified for heart transplant.

How does the LVAD work?

The doctor will recommend the one that is best for you based on your needs and medical condition.

The LVAD is implanted during open heart surgery. The pump unit is placed in the chest. It is implanted by the surgeon into the apex of the heart where it receives blood. A tube then delivers this blood from the device to the aorta (the large artery that takes blood from the heart to the rest of the body. It works by pumping blood by continuous flow from the left ventricle to the aorta.

The pump is attached to a driveline (cable) and control system (controller). The driveline passes from the device through the skin on your belly (abdomen) to the controller (a small computer) on the outside of your body. The controller runs the pump and provides messages and alarms to help you operate the system.

A power supply (rechargeable batteries or cord that plugs into an electrical socket) keeps the LVAD running.

Quality and Outcomes

Doctors vary in quality due to differences in training, skill and experience; hospitals differ in the number of services available. The more complex your medical problem, the greater these differences in quality become and the more they matter.

Benefits of LVAD

  • Greater Life expectancy
  • Better quality of life

Clinical Expertise

Dr. Z.S.Meharwal
Executive Director and HOD, Heart Transplantation and VAD Program, Program Director – DNB

  • Dr Z S Meharwal is part of the founding team of Doctors at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute. Dr. Meharwal completed his MBBS, MS (General Surgery) and M.Ch (Cardiothoracic Surgery) from King George’s Medical College, Lucknow.
  • He has worked as Consultant Cardiac Surgeon at prestigious King’s College Hospital in London. He has more than 30 years of experience in cardiac surgery with over 30000 surgeries to his credit, including complex heart operations.
  • He is a pioneer in many new cardiac operations in the country. Dr Meharwal is amongst few cardiac surgeons performing heart transplantation and ventricular assist devices implantation.
  • His name has entered into Limca Book of Records-2008 for performing Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery on 94-year-old man who is the oldest patient to undergo CABG.
  • Citation Award by President of India Sri APJ Abdul Kalam on the occasion of International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery Meeting - 2002.
  • Listed in Marquis who is who in the world 2005
  • Saharanpur Aditya Samman-by Govt of UP for contribution in Medical Field - 2005
Dr Z S Meharwal

Dr. Vishal Rastogi
Additional Director - Interventional Cardiologist, Head – Advanced Heart Failure Program

  • Dr. Vishal Rastogi is pioneer in the field of Interventional Heart Failure Management. His experience of implanting Impella Left Ventricular Assist Device in critically ill patients is highest among Indian doctors.
  • He is an accomplished interventional cardiologist with vast experience of treating patient with complex coronary intervention including Rotablation, carotid intervention, peripheral vascular intervention and percutaneous aortic valve implantation to name a few. He is national proctor for Rotablation, coronary imaging like IVUS and OCT and for dedicated bifurcation stents.
  • He is also on the Editorial board of Indian Heart Journal.
  • He is also actively involved in research and is principal investigator of many interventional and heart failure trial.
Dr. Vishal Rastogi

Q&A

Who is the candidate for LVAD?

LVADs are for people with heart failure who meet certain criteria. Generally, these are people with advanced heart failure who are considered as Class III or IV. LVADs are not appropriate for people with other conditions such as kidney failure, liver disease, lung disease, or blood clotting disorders.

Are LVADs portable?

Yes, LVADs are portable and can be operated on batteries, so patients can be discharged from the hospital and live at home.

How long can I live with LVAD?

The expected survival for people with a VAD continues to improve with newer technology. Some patients have survived upto 13 years.

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