1523 – Transluminal insertion, management, repositioning and removal of an intravascular microaxial blood pump (Impella®), for patients requiring mechanical circulatory support

New MBS item/s

The proposed medical service is for insertion, repositioning and removal of an Impella® ventricular assist device. Impella® is a transluminal ventricular assist device that is inserted percutaneously or surgically. The device has a small microaxial pump at one end of a thin, flexible catheter, that pumps blood from the ventricle (through an inlet area near the tip) and expels that blood into the ascending aorta/pulmonary artery. The other end of the tube is connected to an automated control system outside the body, that controls the pump rate.

Type: Therapeutic

Impella® is indicated for clinical use in cardiology and cardiac surgery to support patients with compromised ventricular function, i.e. patients experiencing advanced heart failure, heart attack (myocardial infarction), cardiogenic shock and those undergoing high risk cardiac procedures.

Coronary heart disease is the most common form of cardiovascular disease, and approximately half of deaths from coronary heart disease result from acute myocardial infarction. An acute myocardial infarction may also result in heart failure. Cardiogenic shock is a life-threatening situation that can develop because of a myocardial infarction, and occurs when the heart’s ability to function causes organs in the body to begin to fail. Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to maintain strong enough blood flow to meet the body’s needs. It is considered advanced when conventional heart therapies and symptom management strategies no longer work and the patient is symptomatic at rest.

• PASC meeting: 9 August 2018
• ESC meeting: 10 to 11 October 2019
• MSAC meeting: 28 to 29 November 2019