Home HEALTH HEALTH CHECK Ochsner Offers New Congestive Heart Failure Treatment

Ochsner Offers New Congestive Heart Failure Treatment

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Aquadex™ FlexFlow: Next Generation Technology Provides Improved Flexibility and Precision

nol_nov07_medres_page_16_image_0004.jpgOchsner hospitals are offering patients Aquadex™ FlexFlow, the latest technology to treat congestive heart failure. The Aquadex™ FlexFlow Fluid Removal System by CHF Solutions, Inc. is a minimally invasive treatment that helps drain fluid overload caused by congestive heart failure, renal failure, and metabolic diseases. This new technology allows physicians greater flexibility and precision in regulating blood-flow and fluid-removal, thus reducing swollen limbs, fatigue, and severe shortness of breath.

An estimated five million Americans suffer from congestive heart failure and the condition leads to over 3 million hospitalizations per year costing more than $23 billion annually. And, as the U.S. population continues to age and live longer, congestive heart failure diagnoses are growing eight percent annually.

The Aquadex™ FlexFlow resembles an I.V. system; it includes a console with automated keyboard and two catheters. The catheters are inserted into central veins, allowing medical practitioners to remove fluid from a patient’s blood flow. The system is also equipped with a weight scale to monitor how much fluid has been extracted from a patient and control the rate of removal.

“The Aquadex system allows for safe removal of excess salt and water from fluid-overload,” says Dr. Hector Ventura, MD, Section Head Cardiomyopathy

and Heart Transplant at Ochsner Medical Center. “The system allows us to increase or decrease the rate of blood flow and fluid removal, enhancing efficiency of the treatment.”

Traditional fluid-extraction treatments include diuretics or inotropic drugs. Aquadex is an improved alternative as it allows for fluid extraction tailored to individual patient’s needs and there is no significant impact on electrolyte balance, blood pressure or heart rate. It’s also easily transportable, so patients can move around during treatment.

A recent Ochsner Medical Center-West Bank patient retained several pounds of fluid due to hereditary congestive heart failure. Physicians removed 33 pounds of fluid from him and improved his quality of life. Fluid overload can cause severe fatigue, shortness of breath and hospitalization and can be caused by renal failure, post-surgical fluid overload, metabolic diseases and congestive heart failure.

Aquadex™ FlexFlow is currently available at Ochsner Medical Center – West Bank in Gretna, LA, and Ochsner Medical Center – Jefferson Highway. Ochsner Medical Center -Kenner is expecting to offer patients Aquadex soon. For more information visit www.chfsolutions.com