The MaineHealth Advanced Heart Failure Program helps patients whose hearts have lost the ability to pump enough blood to the body’s tissues. If too little blood is pumped out, organs and other tissues do not receive enough oxygen and nutrients to function properly.
Heart failure can be caused by coronary artery disease (CAD), heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart valve problems, viral infections, other myocardial (heart muscle) diseases, and drug or alcohol abuse. Services are provided through a regional network of MaineHealth care facilities, providing heart failure patients with coordinated care, treatment and testing close to home.
Heart failure and mechanical circulatory support
Maine Medical Center (MMC) has a long history of providing cutting-edge care to patients with advanced heart failure. A multidisciplinary team of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, electrophysiologists, and nurses work together to support patients through every stage of heart failure.
Our hospital offers mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), temporary percutaneous ventricular assist devices (VAD) that support both the right and left ventricles, and durable implants. type left ventricular assist device (LVAD). MMC was designated a “Gold Level Center of Excellence” by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) in 2017. MMC was reaccredited in 2018 with the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission as an Advanced Accreditation Program for Cardiac Assist Devices.
ECMO: Paul’s story
ECMO: Life Flight