St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro announced a successful artificial heart transplant, saying it’s the first time that the procedure has been performed in Arkansas outside Little Rock.
The recipient of the artificial heart pump was a 73-year-old Randall Glenn, a retired police officer and U.S. Air Force veteran suffering from end-stage heart failure, the hospital said in a news release.
Cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Jay K. Bhama and the hospital’s Advanced Heart Surgery Team performed the four-hour procedure on Dec. 28.
Bhama said the implant marks an important milestone for St. Bernards’ Advanced Heart Surgery and Heart & Vascular Programs.
“We strive to provide the most comprehensive and cutting edge therapies to our patients, right here, close to home,” Bhama said in the release. “It was a pleasure to be able to deliver this care to Mr. Glenn and his family.”
St. Bernards said it obtained federal approval from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for the implantation in November.
Connie Hill, St. Bernards vice president of heart care services Connie Hill, said the hospital has seen a growing need to have such complex medical care and technology close to home. She said cases of heart failure have been rising in northeast Arkansas and southeast Missouri.
“It was an easy decision to pursue the development of an Advanced Heart Surgery Program here at St. Bernards,” Hill said. “We’re thrilled for Mr. Glenn to be able to receive this level of complex cardiovascular care at St. Bernards.”
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