HOUMA –Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) physician, Dr. Peter Fail, is utilizing a new technology at Terrebonne General Medical Center (TGMC) to provide minimally-invasive treatment for patients suffering from congestive heart failure after a heart attack.
Heart failure is a common, debilitating, and potentially deadly condition in which the heart is unable to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the needs of the body. Symptoms of heart failure negatively impact quality of life and include shortness of breath, persistent coughing or wheezing, buildup of excess fluid in body tissues, fatigue, lack of appetite or nausea, impaired thinking, and increased heart rate.
After a heart attack, many heart failure patients experience enlargement of their left ventricle which decreases the amount of their blood flow and leads to heart failure symptoms such as shortness of breath. Treatment options for patients with enlarged, damaged heart ventricles have been typically limited to medical therapy and in rare cases traditional open-heart surgery.
The Parachute™ Ventricular Partitioning Device offers the first minimally-invasive, catheter-based treatment to partition the damaged muscle, separating the non-functional heart segment from the healthy, functional segment. This decreases the overall volume of the diseased ventricle and restores its geometry and function.
"This device offers another treatment option for a very debilitating disease,” explains Dr. Fail, Director of Cardiac Catheterization Lab and Interventional Research. "CIS and TGMC are the only location in the area with a complete structural heart program, offering treatments for valve disorders and structural heart defects.”
In the U.S., the Parachute system is an investigational device limited by federal law to investigational use only and is not available for sale. To qualify for participation in this trial, patients must experience congestive heart failure after heart attack with an enlarged ventricle. Participation is confirmed by a group of cardiac surgeons and interventional cardiologists. If you think you may qualify, or if you are interested in learning more about the trial, please call the CIS Research Department at 985-873-5613.
CIS is one of the most respected groups of cardiologists, representing nearly every specialty in heart and circulatory medicine. With a team of nearly 500 dedicated team members, CIS serves communities throughout Louisiana, as well as national and international patients, at its 14 clinics. CIS consistently positions itself at the forefront of technology by providing the most up-to-date technology coupled with compassionate care. This mission has guided the institute for more than 29 years of service to south Louisiana. For more information about CIS, call 1-800-425-2565 or visit http://www.cardio.com/.
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