Man Suffering from Heart Failure Saved with LVAD Option at Miami Transplant Institute

By: Krysten Brenlla

Two years after having COVID-19, Eduardo Escalona Gonzalez, 53, started suffering from uncontrollable coughs.

When the Cuban native visited his doctor for treatment, he was unexpectedly diagnosed with cardiomalacia, a condition where the heart muscle softens, causing the heart to have a harder time pumping blood to the rest of the body.

Additionally, due to the lingering effects of COVID, he was also diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, a condition that occurs when blood pressure in the lungs is higher than normal, causing the heart to work harder to pump blood into the lungs, ultimately resulting in left-sided heart failure.

“I never had any issues with my heart or lungs; this diagnosis really came out of nowhere,” Escalona said. “I’ve always been a strong and healthy person.”

When his coughing became unbearable, he was referred to UHealth – University of Miami Health System for further evaluation, where he met his team of cardiologists. After several tests, Escalona received devastating news – his heart was failing, and it was time to consider other options to survive.

It was then that he was transferred to the Miami Transplant Institute (MTI), an affiliation between Jackson Health System and UHealth.

“He was in a critical state, presenting with severe symptoms of decompensated heart failure and cardiogenic shock,” said Hari Mallidi, MD, Jackson’s chief of cardiac surgery, program director of heart transplantation and mechanical circulatory support at MTI, and director of Jackson Heart Institute. “His condition was further complicated by severe pulmonary hypertension, which significantly impacted his eligibility for immediate heart transplantation.”

Although Escalona was ineligible for a heart transplant, Dr. Mallidi and his team determined that his best chance at survival was to implant a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), a battery-operated, mechanical pump that helps the lower left heart chamber pump blood to the rest of the body.

With MTI’s advanced heart failure management and cutting-edge mechanical support technology, Escalona gained hope.

“Our immediate goal with the LVAD was to stabilize Eduardo’s cardiac function and manage his severe heart failure symptoms,” Dr. Mallidi said. “The LVAD serves as a bridge, maintaining his cardiac function while we optimize his overall health to allow for the pulmonary pressures to improve, to a point where transplantation could become viable.”

On March 12, 2024, Escalona underwent a successful, four-hour LVAD implant procedure.

After spending a few days recovering at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Escalona was ready to go home. Before leaving the hospital, a multi-disciplinary team prepared him for his new lifestyle.

“It’s essential for patients to understand that an LVAD can provide necessary support and potentially improve other complicating factors, making transplantation a future possibility,” Dr. Mallidi said. “Eduardo’s journey, despite the severity of his heart condition, has been remarkable, and exemplifies the profound impact that an LVAD can have on a patient’s life.”

Six months after the procedure, Escalona says he feels like a new person – he’s gained back the weight he lost, and no longer suffers from unbearable coughing. He’s looking forward to maintaining his health and working with the MTI team for a potential heart transplant.

“I have my limitations to take care of the LVAD, but I feel great,” Escalona said. “I feel like a normal person again. I would tell anyone in my situation to not be scared because the LVAD changes your life completely – it saved my life.”