Mechanical Circulatory Support

Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) helps people with life-threatening heart conditions heal and recover. Our Heart & Vascular Institute gives people across Central Pennsylvania easy access to the full range of mechanical circulatory support devices. We also deliver the resources and support you need for the best possible outcome.

What Are Mechanical Circulatory Support Devices?

Certain serious conditions can affect your heart’s ability to pump enough oxygenated blood to meet your body’s needs. Mechanical circulatory support devices are mechanical pumps that help the heart pump enough blood.

Mechanical circulatory support devices take over or support the heart’s function. Doctors use them to treat conditions such as:

• Cardiogenic shock (when the heart suddenly can’t pump enough blood)
• Dilated cardiomyopathy
• End-stage heart failure
• Pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs)

You may need mechanical circulatory support to:

• Give your heart time to rest and heal
• Improve your quality of life while you wait for a heart transplant
• Permanently take over the heart’s job (destination therapy)

Mechanical Circulatory Support: Why Choose Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health?

We offer specialized heart failure care, including comprehensive mechanical circulatory support options, in our Heart Failure Clinic and Advanced Heart Failure/LVAD Clinic. Our clinics feature a multidisciplinary team of heart specialists who work together to manage every part of your care.

These specialists include internationally and nationally recognized experts from The Heart Group of Lancaster General Health and Lancaster General Health Physicians Cardiothoracic Surgery. Their combined experience and innovation have led to some of the best outcomes in the U.S.—including one of lowest hospital readmission rates for heart failure.

We also offer:

• Options for high-risk patients: We have the skill and technology needed to care for people with limited treatment options. Our various devices give weakened and failing hearts the ability to heal and recover.
• Personalized care: With the full scope of MCS options available, we can select the best device for your health, anatomy, gender and lifestyle.
• Thorough evaluations: Many factors determine whether you will benefit from mechanical circulatory support, including your age and health. Our rigorous evaluation process ensures that a mechanical heart pump is the best option for you.

Types of Mechanical Circulatory Support Devices

We offer short- and long-term mechanical circulatory support options, including:

Short-Term Support

We offer:

• ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation): ECMO temporarily does the job of the heart and lungs so they can recover. We also perform ECMO-supported procedures to open clogged arteries. Learn more about ECMO.
• Impella®: The Impella heart pump supports the heart during high-risk, minimally invasive procedures to open clogged arteries, such as angioplasty. Learn more about Impella, the world's smallest heart pump.

Long-Term Support

We offer the latest LVADs (left ventricular assist devices) to support weakened hearts. Doctors also use them as a permanent solution (called destination therapy) for heart failure.

Our MCS Certifications

We have a national reputation for quality care, including:

• Advanced certification from the Joint Commission: Our VAD team has earned advanced certification from the Joint Commission, a national organization that measures quality care.
• VAD destination therapy accreditation: Our Heart & Vascular Institute is one of a select group of heart centers nationwide accredited to offer VADs as a destination therapy.
• Silver Level Center of Excellence from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO): ELSO has recognized our ECMO program as a Silver Level Center of Excellence. ELSO designation is reserved for programs that demonstrate the highest level of performance, innovation, satisfaction and quality.

Make an Appointment

To connect with our Advanced Heart Failure/LVAD clinic, call 717-544-8300.