New Heart-Lung Machine Debuts At Franciscan Health Heart Center Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana - A new device used during open-heart surgical procedures is designed to improve both clinical efficiency and quality of patient care during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) procedures at Franciscan Health Heart Center Indianapolis.

The Essenz™ Heart-Lung Machine (HLM) was cleared for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in March. Together, with the Essenz™ Patient Monitor, they comprise the Essenz Perfusion System.. Both are products of LivaNova PLC, a medical technology company headquartered in London, England.

The first case was successfully carried out April 12 by Marc Gerdisch, MD, chief of Franciscan's cardiovascular and thoracic surgery program and a member of Cardiac Surgery Associates.

"The Essenz Perfusion System has tremendous potential to become a key addition to our clinical practice, fusing a new era of technology with the skill and expertise of a perfusionist," said Larry Garrison, chief perfusionist at Franciscan Health Indianapolis. "We've witnessed the system's immense ability to unlock the potential of individualized patient care throughout all phases of cardiopulmonary (CPB) procedures."

"A perfusion system acts as a patient's heart and lungs during open-heart procedures, so having the highest-quality system backed by the expertise of a skilled perfusionist is paramount," said Marco Dolci, President, Cardiopulmonary at LivaNova. "Through next-generation hardware and software, Essenz empowers perusionists to better serve their patients with increasingly tailored care. We are excited to partner with Franciscan Health and congratulate them on their achievement of performing the first US Essenz case."

Perfusion is a technique that temporarily takes over the function of the heart and lungs during surgery, using special pumps that circulate blood and the oxygen content of the body. Perfusionists oversee the operation of the heart-lung machine and assist the surgical team throughout the surgical procedure.

Before receiving FDA approval and deploying the Essenz HLM at Franciscan, the system was used in select medical centers around Europe. While under design, perfusionists like Garrison advised on the need to develop a system that gives them access to more comprehensive data to drive decision-making during surgery.

Learn more about the LivaNova Essenz Perfusion System here.

Franciscan Health Heart Center is a nationally recognized clinical and research center. Its physicians and other clinicians offer a wide range of heart and vascular care.