Services & Surgical Procedures
The heart failure and cardiomyopathy clinic at Stanford targets several specific conditions.
Additional Services
Heart Failure
Heart failure, also called congestive heart failure, is a condition in which the heart can’t pump enough oxygenated blood to meet the needs of the body's organs. The heart keeps pumping, but not effectively. Heart failure affects nearly five million adults in the United States.
Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy is a more specific term for any disease of the heart muscle in which the heart loses its ability to pump blood effectively. The term 'cardiomyopathy' refers to the weak condition of the heart, while heart failure refers to the symptoms resulting from that weakness of the heart. These terms are often used interchangeably, but both describe abnormal heart function.
- Amyloid Cardiomyopathy: Amyloidosis is a condition where an abnormal protein (amyloid) can accumulate in any organ in the body, including the heart. Cardiac amyloidosis (amyloid that affects the heart) is a progressive but treatable disorder, and requires special expertise.
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occurs when the muscle of the heart's left ventricle (main pumping chamber) becomes thick, most often near the wall that separates the left and right side of the heart. This thickening makes it harder for the heart to pump blood.
- Inherited Cardiomyopathies: Inherited cardiomyopathies are conditions where abnormal genes lead to weakened heart function. These conditions run in families, and require the help of a multidisciplinary team, including a genetic counselor, to be treated effectively.
Left Ventricular Assist Device Insertion (LVAD)
A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is a battery-operated, mechanical pump-type device that is surgically implanted. It helps maintain the pumping ability of a heart that can't effectively work on its own.
Left Ventricular Remodeling / Surgical Ventricular Restoration (SAVER)
Left ventricular remodeling is a technique that provides the heart with a more normal shape after a heart attack, allowing it to pump blood more efficiently. A patch is used to separate the dead tissue from healthy heart muscle. The patch is made of a synthetic material called Dacron, which is also used to make fabrics and replacements for the aorta, the main artery leading out of the heart. The dead tissue is not removed; the patch simply isolates it from the functioning heart muscle. The remodeled heart cavity is smaller and more powerful.
Mitral Valve Repair Surgery
Stanford has long been at the forefront of surgical techniques to treat mitral valve disorders. Mitral valve repair surgery, as opposed to mitral valve replacement surgery, has several advantages, including improved survival rates, lower risk of stroke and infection, and better heart function post-surgery.
Cardiac Transplantation
Evaluation for cardiac transplantation is part of the services provided by our heart failure and heart transplant programs.