Study of PCI patients with Impella 2.5 heart pump published in Journal of Interventional Cardiology- Abiomed

Abiomed announced the publication of a peer-reviewed retrospective study on hemodynamic support with the Impella 2.5 heart pump. The study analyzed patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (AMICS) undergoing a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on an unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA). The study was published in the Journal of Interventional Cardiology. Results of the study suggest that initiation of Impella 2.5 heart pump prior to the start of a PCI on an ULMCA culprit lesion is associated with significant survival benefit in patients supported for cardiogenic shock following an AMI. Patients supported with the Impella 2.5 heart pump post-PCI appear to have very poor survival at 30 days. With Impella installed pre-PCI, patient survival to discharge is 55% versus just 19% in patients where installed post-PCI. For survival at 30 Days, the pre-PCI figure is 48% versus 13% post PCI. This study adds to the existing body of clinical data supporting the early placement of Impella heart pumps before PCI for patients in cardiogenic shock.

See: "Impella 2.5 initiated prior to unprotected left main PCI in acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock improves early survival." Meraj, P. J Interv Cardiol. 2017 Apr 17. doi: 10.1111/joic.12377. [Epub ahead of print].