Dave Osmotherly thought he was a goner. That is what he will tell you. On the operating table for a heart surgery, he experienced a potentially deadly condition that left his heart and vital organs struggling to function. Less than a week later, he walked out of the hospital under his own power thanks to his care team at the Heart and Vascular Institute and Rapid City Hospital.
The Edgemont resident was in cardiogenic shock, a condition where the weakened condition of the heart affects the oxygen supply to the vital organs. The drastic reduction in blood flow can lead to the failure of other vital organs such as the brain, kidneys, and liver. Hard working and active all his life, Dave was a candidate for bypass surgery after suffering heart-related symptoms for a time. He was waiting for his procedure when he blacked out.
“I remember being on the table and joking with the crew. Next thing I know they’re standing over me saying ‘wake up, Dave, wake up!’ He said. “The next thing I remember is being told I was in the ICU and that I had this new pump that was helping my heart work.”
Advanced heart failure cardiologist Luis Hernandez, M.D., FACC, implemented advanced interventions coupled with cutting-edge technology to save Dave’s life. To bring the patient out of the life-threatening state of cardiogenic shock, Dr. Hernandez reccommended a device called the Impella 5.5 heart pump. The Impella 5.5 supports the heart’s pumping function so that vital organs can receive blood and oxygen. Before a surgeon implanted the device, Dr. Hernandez and Heart and Vascular Director Joseph Tuma, M.D., FACC, FSCAI, discussed Dave’s condition and decided on the Impella to provide a bridge to recovery.
“If it weren’t for the pump, Dave probably would not be here,” Dr. Hernandez said. “His heart had really failed, so our focus was to get him out of shock so the heart could begin to recover.”
The surgical Intensive Care and surgery teams did their work, making Dave the first patient at Rapid City hospital to receive the Impella 5.5 pump. The pump did its work while he rested for several days. Once his health markers began to improve, the pump was removed. He also received a pacemaker for continued monitoring and regulation of his heart.
“We were encouraged to see Dave respond so well to the treatment,” Dr. Hernandez said. “We’ve been seeing him in the clinic each week for follow-up and he’s doing great. A lot of times when the heart gets that weak, it can mean advanced intervention, it could necessitate a transplant or a left-assisted ventricular device, or it can go palliative. We’re very happy to see Dave have a bridge to recovery.”
Although he was out of immediate danger, Dave still had a physically taxing path ahead after all he had been through in just a matter of days.
“I started out real weak, and then a few days later they had me up and walking. Even when I got home, I was still felling quite weak,” Dave said. “I’ve had 10 back surgeries and I thought I’d recover from this surgery quickly, like I always have before. But this heart stuff has been tough.”
Dr. Hernandez and the Heart Failure team led the case to heart success, and roughly a month after his emergency, Dave turned a corner of sorts. He wasn’t needing to rest as much and could feel some strength coming back, although his sense of humor never left.
“It’s good to be above ground” he said with a wry smile. “The care I’ve had has been very good. I appreciate them bringing me back. It could have went the other way awful easy, so they did one heck of a job. Top notch.”
More about Impella 5.5
The Impella 5.5 with SmartAssist heart pump delivers full cardiac support, allowing the heart to rest and enabling the heart to achieve its natural pumping function without additional support. This temporary, minimally invasive heart pump enables patient mobility and optimizes recovery by using real-time intelligence. It is implanted via catheter to the axillary artery. Other devices for this treatment are implanted via the femoral artery and leave the patient immobile for the duration of their use. The Impella 5.5 allows patients to rise from bed and walk, which is a crucial healing benchmark.