West Valley hospital uses tiny heart pump in lifesaving procedure

PHOENIX — Doctors at the Abrazo West Campus in Goodyear used the world’s smallest heart pump to save a Buckeye woman’s life earlier this year.

Dr. Saif Al-Qaisi was the interventional cardiologist who placed the tiny heart pump into Deanna Morehead’s right ventricle in order to save her life.

The 61-year-old suffered a “massive heart attack” in her home on the night of March 25. According to the American Heart Association, only 10% to 12% of people survive that kind of heart attack when it occurs outside of a hospital setting.

“I have no recollection of my heart attack. I had felt fine all day; in fact, I had just driven us home after going out to dinner, so I had no idea my heart was about to fail,” Morehead said in a press release.

Details on the procedure and heart pump

Morehead’s 49-year-old boyfriend witnessed the heart attack and immediately began CPR. Morehead was then rushed to Abrazo West Campus where Dr. Al-Qaisi fixed the coronary artery with a stent.

However, that wasn’t going to be enough to save Morehead.

“Deanna had an acute heart attack, when a dominant coronary artery is 100% suddenly blocked, resulting in a biventricular heart failure, when the main two chambers of the heart fail to provide adequate blood flow to the vital organs,” Al-Qaisi said.

He reached out and received immediate approval to have an Impella RP flex mechanical circulatory support device — the world’s smallest heart pump designed to support the right ventricle — delivered to the hospital.

The doctor then placed the tiny pump in Morehead’s right ventricle as well as a traditional Impella CP — a temporary assist device —in her left ventricle for support. This was the first time the pump had ever been used in a procedure at Abrazo West.

Morehead was then airlifted to Abrazo Arizona Heart Hospital where she recovered for three weeks.

“At first, I could not roll over in my hospital bed, shower or feed myself. Now, I am home, doing all those things plus more on my own and going through cardiac rehabilitation, but I’m a go-getter and I feel lucky and happy to be alive,” Morehead said.

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