Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2018 - 10

UMMC
SPOTLIGHT:

Healing the Hearts
of Maryland
MEET THREE PATIENTS FROM ACROSS THE
STATE WHO ARE LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST
AFTER TREATMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
MARYLAND HEART AND VASCULAR CENTER

he University of Maryland Heart and Vascular Center brings together
leading experts in cardiovascular care and surgery. Even for the most
advanced diseases and urgent cases, experts have the experience, skill,

innovation and compassion that patients need.
As a part of the University of Maryland Heart Network, the Heart and Vascular
Center cares for patients in coordination with hospitals within the University
of Maryland Medical System and is a trusted resource for community hospitals across the state. Below are three stories of patients who are thriving today

John Wise

thanks to the University of Maryland Heart and Vascular Center.

CARE OF A LIFETIME,
FOR A LIFETIME

the team at the UM Heart and Vascular

(VAD) surgery. VADs are temporary

When John Wise started experiencing

Center, which sent an ambulance

pumps that are typically installed

severe chest pain, he immediately sought

equipped with a special life-assist

on one side of the heart to replace

help at a local hospital, where doctors

machine called ECMO (short for

lost pumping function and allow the

determined that he had suffered a heart

extracorporeal membrane oxygenation)

heart muscle to heal. Wise was so sick

attack. He then underwent a diagnostic

to transport Wise to UMMC. Once

that he needed a unique biventricu-

cardiac catheterization to determine how

there, Wise's family met with Bartley

lar assist device (BiVAD) installed on

well his heart was working.

Griffith, MD, a professor of surgery at

both sides of his heart. UMMC's robust

the University of Maryland School

VAD program offers a number of

had several blockages and was func-

of Medicine and a UMMC cardiac sur-

types of VAD systems to fit the needs

tioning at 20 percent of the capacity

geon, and Erika Feller, MD, an assistant

of each patient and includes a team of

of a healthy heart. Surgeons at another

professor of medicine at the University

VAD engineers who monitor patients

hospital performed a quadruple cor-

of Maryland School of Medicine and

24/7, a level of support not found at

onary artery bypass. Although the

a UMMC cardiologist, to discuss the

many heart centers.

bypass surgery went perfectly, Wise's

best course of action. One thing was

heart muscle was still in bad shape. It

certain: Wise's heart was dying.

and round-the-clock monitoring and

Wise's sister, Tammy Baker,

adjustments, Wise's heart started to

The test revealed that Wise's heart

was difficult for doctors to stabilize him,
and he was placed on life support.

10 MARYLAND'S HEALTH MATTERS

Wise's doctors consulted with

made the decision for her brother

to undergo ventricular assist device

After the successful procedure

bounce back.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2018