The patient was a 67-year-old woman, recently admitted to the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine of the First Hospital of Jilin University due to acute myocardial infarction. After coronary angiography and systemic treatment, the patient still had recurrent episodes of heart failure and had been hospitalized several times with unsatisfactory results. In order to seek further treatment, the patient was transferred to the Department of Cardiac Surgery, where he was diagnosed with ischemic cardiomyopathy, coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, old anterior interstitial myocardial infarction, cardiac insufficiency, cardiac function grade IV, diabetes mellitus, respiratory failure type I, and pulmonary arterial hypertension (moderate) after completing the relevant examinations. The patient's cardiac ultrasound showed that the left ventricular ejection fraction was only 28%, and the myocardial viability was very poor as assessed by the Department of Nuclear Medicine, and the heart failure had progressed to the end stage, and traditional medical and surgical treatments were unable to alleviate the symptoms of heart failure.

Given the patient's age and diabetes mellitus, his condition was critical, and he was susceptible to acute exacerbation of heart failure, high risk of sudden death, and perioperative infections. After a lot of research and judgment, the cardiac surgery team proposed the treatment plan of implanting an artificial heart combined with coronary artery bypass grafting, and obtained the consent of the patient and his family.

On November 27, Liu Bin, president of JIU First Hospital, came to the scene to coordinate the scheduling, Chen Liangwan, secretary of the Party Committee of Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University, led the team to provide all-around guidance, and Ma Dasi, director of the cardiac surgery department of JIU First Hospital, worked closely with the anesthesiology department, cardiac ultrasound department, operating room and other disciplines, and the surgery was completed in 5 hours, and the artificial heart was implanted in the patient's body successfully and connected to start the patient's heart to assist him. The artificial heart was successfully implanted into the patient's body and connected and turned on to assist the patient's heart. At the same time, the surgical team performed coronary artery bypass grafting for the patient, and the coronary flow meter test showed good flow of vascular bridge.

Secretary Chen Liangwan [first from right] Director Ma Dasi [first from left] during artificial heart implantation surgery

Group photo of the artificial heart surgery team

After surgery, the patient returned to the Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit, where he was carefully treated and cared for by the healthcare team. The patient was awake and off the ventilator on the first day after surgery, and was transferred to the general ward on the first week after surgery. After nearly a month of treatment and rehabilitation, the patient's heart gradually regained its vitality and beat vigorously in the chest cavity with the support of the “artificial heart” assistive device, and his vital signs reached the standard, and he was discharged from the hospital successfully.

Patient awake and off ventilator on postoperative day 1

Post-operative rehabilitation of patients with autonomous activities