RSCM Performs World's Smallest LVAD Implantation
Jakarta’s Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National Central General Hospital (RSCM) has claimed success in implanting the CoreHeart 6 Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), the world’s smallest heart assist device.
Director General of Advanced Health at the Ministry of Health, Azhar Jaya, said in an official statement in Jakarta on Friday that the implantation using this technology is the first in Asia.
“Until now, the main therapy for end-stage heart failure has been heart transplantation. However, the challenges are enormous due to limited donors and doctors with specialised competence. The presence of LVAD technology offers new hope for extending life expectancy while improving patients’ quality of life,” said Azhar.
LVAD technology represents a major leap in the treatment of chronic heart failure, particularly amid the shortage of heart donors and transplant specialists.
The success of the RSCM team, he said, demonstrates that Indonesia is capable of mastering global-standard health technology. This mastery is expected to mark the beginning of knowledge transfer to more healthcare workers so that more patients can benefit.
The government continues to encourage international collaboration to accelerate technology transfer, improve healthcare worker competence, and drive service innovation.
“We do not want national hospitals to be mere spectators. We want to be players. Indonesia must become a source of pride in healthcare services,” he said.
RSCM President Director Supriyanto Dharmoredjo said the successful implantation of the CoreHeart 6 LVAD marks a new milestone in national cardiac services while demonstrating the international community’s trust in the capabilities of Indonesian medical personnel.
Meanwhile, Head of RSCM’s Cardiovascular Department, Birry Karim, said the successful implantation was the result of a multidisciplinary team effort involving cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, anaesthetists, intensive care physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers.
According to him, the advanced heart failure treatment programme at RSCM has been developed since 2017 through the establishment of a dedicated heart failure service, which later evolved into an integrated care system.
Birry said the first patient to undergo the implantation has shown encouraging progress. Approximately 24 hours after surgery, the patient was able to be weaned off the ventilator, began mobilisation exercises, and showed improvement in various clinical parameters.
“So far the patient’s condition continues to improve. Once the patient successfully passed the critical phase and could be removed from the ventilator, we felt very relieved. This is an important milestone for the development of heart failure services in Indonesia,” said Birry.
Founder and Chairman of Borderless Healthcare Group and founder of HeartSpan.ai, Wei Siang Yu, said the collaboration with RSCM not only brings medical devices but also includes doctor training, knowledge transfer, and the development of artificial intelligence (AI)-based service systems.