New implant to help with heart failure

We’re all familiar with pacemaker devices that regulate the heartbeat, but a newer implant is boosting heart function in people suffering from heart failure.

It’s a common medical condition impacting more than 6 million Americans. It’s small, but it packs a powerful punch.

It looks very much like a pacemaker, but it doesn’t work as a pacemaker. It’s actually therapy to strengthen the heart.

Implanted just under the skin in the chest, this device, called the Cardiac Contractility Modulator, helps people with heart failure, a condition where the heart muscle is weakened to the point that it struggles to pump blood, limiting the flow of oxygen to the body.

“Heart failure definitely impacts your overall longevity and reduces lifespan without question,” said Dr. Luis Rechani, cardiac electrophysiologist at NCH.

Rechani is first in Southwest Florida to offer this. The device gives a high-dose, short electrical jolt to the heart at a precise point during contraction, boosting the heart’s function.

“This is a therapy that’s delivered for several hours during the day, not all the time. It’s several hours in the day, and a lot of current, but it delivers a current that makes the heart beat stronger,” Rechani said.

Patients with moderate heart failure see the most benefit. These are people with shortness of breath along with swelling and other symptoms that sap quality of life. The improvement is immediate.

“The patients all report improvement in their clinical symptoms, but beyond that, we’re seeing reductions in heart failure and death combined,” Rechani said.

Implanting the small device in the chest is getting heart failure patients back on their feet.

This device is also showing an added benefit with long-term use. It appears to exercise the heart, making the muscle itself stronger.