University Clinic applies new method to treat chronic heart failure

This was the first such instance in the Republic of Tatarstan.

Chronic heart failure is one of the more serious problems among cardiovascular diseases. Even with the newest treatment methods, the death rate among patients is very high.

With this new technique, a patient receives an implant called cardiac contractility modulator (CCM). The device itself works for several hours a day, but during this time its signals stimulate a growth of intracellular calcium, which, in turn, leads to an increase in the force of contraction of cardiomyocytes and, ultimately, to an improvement in the condition.

In this inaugural case, a patient arrived to the Clinic with progressing heart failure and dilatational cardiomyopathy. Surgeons performed the unique procedure which is still very novel in the world and extremely rare in Russia.

Head of the Arrhythmology Group at the Clinic Anton Omelyanenko comments, “Contractility modulation is an alternative electrophysiological treatment method. The device itself comprises a main block, which is implanted into a subclavian region, and three electrodes – one for the heart auricle and two for the ventricles, which are implanted into the interventricular septum.”

The procedure will now be a mainstay in the already impressive arsenal of the University Clinic.

 

Source text and photos: Olga Pelepets

Translation: Yury Nurmeev