Cardiac Impella Device

The Impella device, named the “world’s smallest heart pump” is a temporary cardiac assist device designed to provide a patient’s failing heart with full circulatory assistance while allowing the heart to rest.

WJMC was one of the first hospitals in the New Orleans area to use the Impella 5.0 LD device, which is surgically implanted in patients to increase coronary and organ perfusion. This device is designed to directly unload the left ventricle of the heart and reduce myocardial workload, typically inserted in patients who are undergoing very high risk open heart surgery.

WJMC also offers the Impella 2.5 device, which is a minimally invasive, catheter based system typically inserted in the catheterization lab and is also used to aid the heart in pumping blood. This device gives patients, who may be considered high risk due to significant heart dysfunction, a possible alternative when open heart surgery and or angioplasty may have been deemed too risky. This device is ideal for patients with decreased heart pumping function and who need revascularization.

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