Forrest General hosts Mobile Learning Lab for physicians and staff

HATTIESBURG, MISS. - The Mobile Learning Lab taught Forrest General's staff and physicians something new Friday. The topic of discussion at the Mobile Learning Lab was the Impella heart pump. It is only therapy approved by the FDA, as safer and effective for heart recovery in patients with advanced heart failure. "This device is really important. It provides a level of support and cardiac support we did not have in the past," Hattiesburg Clinic Heart & Vascular's international cardiologist, Craig Thieling said. "Most of the time when we use this device... people have what we call cardiogenic shock. Where their heart is too weak to keep their blood pressure elevated. Often times we see this in patients who have had a massive heart attack and are coming in. We are able to put this device in to help support and keep their blood pressure up while we fix their arteries with stents." The Impella heart pump has been available at Forrest General since August 2015 and been used 37 times this year alone.