Abiomed has received FDA pre-market approval for its Impella 2.5, Impella CP, Impella 5.0 and Impella LD heart pumps for the treatment of ongoing cardiogenic shock. In this setting, the Impella heart pumps are designed to stabilise the patient’s haemodynamics, unload the left ventricle, perfuse the end organs and allow for recovery of the native heart. This latest approval adds to the prior FDA indication of Impella 2.5 for high risk percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), or Protected PCI.
A press release reports that, with this approval, the Impella pumps are the first and only percutaneous temporary ventricular support devices that are FDA-approved as safe and effective for the cardiogenic shock indication.
It adds that the Impella 2.5, Impella CP, Impella 5.0 and Impella LD catheters, in conjunction with the Automated Impella Controller console, are intended for short-term use (<4 days for the Impella 2.5 and Impella CP and<6 days for the Impella 5.0 and Impella LD) and indicated for the treatment of ongoing cardiogenic shock that occurs immediately (<48 hours) following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or open heart surgery as a result of isolated left ventricular failure that is not responsive to optimal medical management and conventional treatment measures with or without an intra-aortic balloon pump. The intent of the Impella system therapy is to reduce ventricular work and to provide the circulatory support necessary to allow heart recovery and early assessment of residual myocardial function.
Furthermore, according to the press release, the product labelling also allows for the clinical decision to leave Impella 2.5, Impella CP, Impella 5.0 and Impella LD in place beyond the intended duration of four to six days due to unforeseen circumstances.
William O’Neill (Center for Structural Heart Disease, Henry Ford Hospital, USA), says: “This approval sets a new standard for the entire cardiovascular community as clinicians continue to seek education and new approaches to effectively treat severely ill cardiac patients with limited options and high mortality risk. The Impella heart pumps offer the ability to provide percutaneous hemodynamic stability to high-risk patients in need of rapid and effective treatment by unloading the heart, perfusing the end organs and ultimately, allowing for the opportunity to recover native heart function.”
