Doctors of Kauvery Hospital treated an 18-year-old boy, who suffered from COVID-19 myocarditis, with a device that helps in pumping out oxygenated blood, giving rest to the heart while maintaining blood flow to other organs in the body.
Launching the “Impella Heart Recovery Programme”, R. Anantharaman, senior consultant, cardiologist, Kauvery Hospital, said that when a person suffered a cardiogenic shock due to heart attack or myocarditis, he/she is usually given medications to increase the heart rate and blood pressure. This, in turn, could affect the heart adversely and deteriorate its condition.
The device, Impella, helped in pumping out oxygenated blood from the left ventricle of the heart into the aorta, thereby continuing to provide essential blood flow to sustain the function of the brain and other organs, a press release said.
The boy with COVID-19 myocarditis, which is weakening of heart muscles due to SARS-CoV-2 infection, presented with cardiac arrest and was shifted to the cath lab where the Impella device was implanted through a catheter. Once the device was in place, the heart was given rest.
The doctor said that his heart function improved from 15% to 50% on the fourth day.
