Nearly five million Americans are living with congestive heart failure (CHF). Heart failure means the heart is failing to adequately perform its job of pumping blood to meet the body’s needs. Left Ventricular Reconstruction (LVR) can help treat CHF, reduce risk of sudden death, and improve quality of life.
The SSM Heart Institute was the first in St. Louis to offer an innovative treatment for heart failure symptoms. This technique uses a small silicon device called a Blue Egg to reverse many symptoms of CHF. During a specialized procedure, the left heart ventricle is reconstructed using the Blue Egg, which serves as a mold to ensure that the ventricle is restored to the correct size and position. Once the Blue Egg is removed, the heart can resume more normal pumping.