Flathead Valley residents Russell Harold and Dennis Swensgard suffer from advanced congestive heart failure, but a system called a HeartMate II makes their hearts work better.

Known as a left ventricular assist device, or LVAD, the internal system consists of a pump and tubes connected to the left side of their hearts. It does not replace the heart but rather provides a boost to help circulate blood by artificially aiding the natural pumping action of the left ventricle.

“It’s what Dick Cheney had,” Swensgard said when he stopped by the Inter Lake to discuss his heart aid.

While former Vice President Cheney wore his LVAD as a bridge to a heart transplant a few months ago, neither Swensgard nor Harold qualified for the transplant list because of age or medical issues, so they will wear the equipment for life. Because of a new program at Rocky Mountain Heart and Lung in Kalispell, they can spend their remaining years here in the Flathead Valley.

LeAnn Johnson, heart-failure nurse at the clinic, said most patients must live near the institution that implanted their system for monitoring and maintenance. Swensgard would have had to live in Spokane near Sacred Heart Medical Center, while Harold faced remaining in Seattle near the University of Washington Medical Center.

 Rocky Mountain Heart and Lung first looked into becoming a community center on behalf of a patient.

“We had one gentleman who was really resistant to getting an LVAD because he didn’t see it as feasible for him to move his family out to Seattle,” Johnson said.

Looking for a solution, Dr. Alan Williams, a cardiologist at the local clinic, contacted his colleague, Dr. Daniel Fishbein, an implant surgeon at the University of Washington Medical Center, about becoming a community base. They arranged an on-site training program for Williams and family nurse practitioner Renee Iverson.

By chance, Iverson moved to the Flathead a year and half ago, bringing 20 years of experience working with LVAD/heart transplant patients. She had witnessed the benefits the device provides to advanced heart-failure patients.

“It’s amazing. Within one to two weeks, they look so much better — better color, less swollen,” she said.

Thoratek, the manufacturer of the HeartMate II, provided additional intensive training in the operation and maintenance of the system and patient management to Johnson, Iverson, Williams, an emergency room physician and others. Since then, they and Swensgard have shared important information with first responders and the public.

“The most remarkable thing is, because the pump is a continuous flow, you won’t feel a pulse,” Johnson said. “The most important thing is not to do CPR chest compressions. Because if you try to do chest compressions, you would most likely dislodge the pump and then they would definitely be deceased.”

All patients with the system are required to carry identification cards to let people know they have this equipment on them. They can be spotted by their special vests holding a battery on each side and their belts that hold the system’s computer controller connected to a driveline exiting their abdomen.

Swensgard, a former high school shop teacher, and Harold, a truck driver, have adapted to wearing this equipment and carrying a backup system everywhere they go. Living away from the medical centers has not been a problem — quite the opposite.

“They find that people do better when they are at home,” Iverson said.

Harold could not agree more. He had surgery on Dec. 30, 2011, and returned from Seattle to the Flathead Valley in March.

“When I went, I never figured I’d be back,” he said. “I figured I was all done.”

After having his first heart attack in 1985, Harold found his heart getting slowly worse until he could hardly move. Williams referred Harold to the University of Washington in July of last year, where he began the intense evaluation process.

Johnson and Iverson said patients undergo extensive physical and psychological evaluations before approval.

A patient must retain enough physical strength to survive surgery but be sick enough to justify the risks and lifestyle adjustments of living with a left ventricular assist device.

“The coordinators do a family evaluation to see if they have the support to be able to manage this,” Johnson said.

Harold, who has his wife Kelly, a daughter and a son-in-law as caregivers, got the nod, but he still had doubts about getting the device. It requires a large commitment to keep batteries charged, carry backup everywhere and keep the controller covered for showers.

 He also must never risk a fall.

“That tube and pump put blood through your heart,” Harold said. “If you fall and pull out the tube, you’re done.”

According to Harold, another LVAD user named Ben Chandler convinced him that his life would improve by having the device.

“You think that you will never walk again,” he said. “Afterward, you can breathe, you can move and you feel so much better.”

Johnson and Iverson said some patients with advanced heart failure also become confused, have hallucinations and memory issues along with their physical problems. The pump makes a difference in those areas.

“So, all of a sudden they have good circulation to their brains again and they’re much more clear in their thinking,” Johnson said.

Under the supervision of cardiologist Dr. Eve Gillespie, Johnson and Iverson work with 112 patients in various stages of heart failure. Five have the left ventricular assist device, including one in Polson and one who recently moved near the Mayo Clinic when he moved up the heart transplant list.

The remaining four come to the clinic frequently for medication management, routine blood testing and equipment checkups.

“We hook them up to a monitor that can download the history that shows any time that they had any alarms go off and if there are any signs of pump failure,” Johnson said.

“We make sure they are not having any problems with pump flow. One of the risks of having this device is that they could get a clot that would plug up the pump. It’s unusual but is a risk.”

All patients take blood thinners to reduce this problem.

Iverson said they don’t treat the patients if a major issue develops. They would stabilize them for a return flight to the medical center where their device was implanted.

So far, Harold and Swensgard have done well under their care. With some advance planning, Swensgard was able to make a trip to California with his Heartmate II equipment.

“I think one of the big things with Dennis and Russ is they haven’t been in the hospital since receiving the Heartmate II,” Iverson said.

For more information, contact Rocky Mountain Heart and Lung at 257-8992.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.