Ernie Scruse’s heart could have failed at any moment. And because of his age, he was not a likely candidate for a heart replacement.
“I have a lot to live for. I want to spend time with my kids, and my grandkids,” Ernie says. So, he turned to the advanced cardiac care at Baystate Medical Center, the only heart and vascular care of its kind in western Massachusetts. He wanted the best care available while staying close to the support of his family.
At the forefront of new technologies, the heart and vascular team surgically attached a Left Ventricular Assist Device [LVAD] to Ernie’s aorta (the large artery that carries blood to other parts of the body) to help restore proper function. And because this pump provides continuous flow, patients like Ernie live without a pulse.
“This LVAD has given me the opportunity to embrace life,” he says.