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New Device for Heart Failure Patients Debuts at Local Area Hospital 

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First LVAD patient at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth, Image from Baylor Scott & White

A heart device that may potentially be lifesaving for patients has been introduced in Tarrant County. Patients with advanced heart failure who are currently awaiting a transplant or are not eligible for one now have access to this device at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center. This is a revolutionary step for modern medicine in the Tarrant County area.

The device is made to assist the left ventricular and is commonly referred to as LVAD. The LVAD helps heart patients by partially or fully replacing the pumping of a heart.

It’s placed under the skin of the upper abdominal region, and two tubes are surgically connected to the heart’s left ventricular chamber and the aorta.

The aorta is the main artery that carries blood away from the heart to the rest of the body, so it’s vital that the device is connected to this part of the heart.

On July 26, Baylor Scott & White performed their first LVAD installation, and the patient has since recovered. According to the hospital, this program is the first of its kind in Tarrant County.

This is excellent news and provides a glimmer of hope to those waiting for a heart transplant or those not eligible for one.

“With an LVAD, a patient’s quality of life can improve dramatically. They can ride a bicycle, play golf, go to ball games, play instruments, go on hikes, or travel across the country,” said Dr. Salman Gohar, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Dr. Gohar is the medical director of the advanced heart failure and mechanical circulatory support service at Baylor Scott & White – Fort Worth. “But more importantly, they can survive without taking a lot of medicines to keep fluid from building up. And they do so with fewer trips to the hospital or emergency department and with more time spent with those they love.”

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