EECP

WHAT IS EECP (ENHANCED EXTERNAL COUNTER PULSATION) TREATMENT?

The EECP (Natural Bypass) method, which was started to be used in China and approved by the FDA (American Food and Drug Administration) in the USA in 1995, is applied in more than 1000 centers and according to research, it provides serious improvements in patients with coronary artery and heart failure.

The basis of EECP treatment, which is applied in 9 centers in our country, is to strengthen the capillaries of the heart with a special compression device and to ensure the development of new ones. Thus, better nutrition of the heart muscle is supported. For this reason, this method is referred to as a 'natural bypass'. Studies show that the effect of the EECP method lasts for up to 5 years in 88 percent of patients.

HOW IS IT APPLIED?

No preparation is required for EECP treatment. During the procedure, special inflating cuffs around the legs and hips of the patient, who is placed on the EECP table, and ECG electrodes are attached to the chest. With the help of the EKG, the EECP device is timed with the patient's heartbeats. The device begins to inflate and deflate the cuffs in harmony with the heartbeat.

During the treatment, patients do not feel any discomfort, they can watch TV, read a book, and listen to music with headphones. The EECP treatment session takes one hour and the entire treatment period requires 35 sessions. After the session, patients can continue their daily lives.

HOW DOES IT EFFECT?

The computer-controlled EECP device inflates the cuffs during relaxation of the heart and deflates them during the pumping period.

The coronary arteries that feed the heart fill with blood when the heart relaxes. During this relaxation period, blood pressure and blood flow to the coronary arteries increase as a result of swelling of the EECP cuffs. During the pumping period of the heart, the cuffs deflate, blood pressure decreases, the workload of the heart is reduced and the performance of the heart increases.

With EECP treatment, the coronary vessels filled with high pressure blood expand and the connection branches (collaterals) between these vessels are opened, allowing the formation of new capillaries and better blood supply to the regions of the heart that have less blood. For this reason, EECP treatment is defined as 'natural bypass'.

WHO IS APPLIED?

In patients who have severe narrowing of the coronary arteries and heart failure, who are not suitable for bypass or stenting (the vascular structure is thin, the stenosis is at a point where the stenosis is difficult to reach), the patients who need bypass but cannot be operated due to high risk, have previously undergone bypass and stenting treatment. It is applied in cases where re-narrowing has developed and cannot be intervened again due to the vascular structure.

DANGEROUS CONDITIONS

Severe heart valve disease, especially aortic valve failure, severe enlargement of the abdominal aorta, severe stenosis in the leg arteries, those with occlusion or clots in the leg veins, serious blood disorders, especially those with coagulation disorders, serious wounds on the leg skin, pregnancy, uncontrolled high blood pressure, conditions with serious rhythm disorders.

BENEFITS

Other benefits of EECP therapy, which increase cardiac performance as a result of increased blood flow to the heart and reduced workload of the heart, are as follows:

- Strengthening the heart muscle and reducing the signs of heart failure in patients with heart failure.

- The development of new capillaries around the clogged heart vessels.

- Reduction of chest pains (angina pectoris)

- Improving the patient's quality of life.

- Increased blood circulation of all organ vessels, as well as to the heart vessels. It is used in the treatment of diseases related to decreased blood supply of various organs. Positive effects are observed in patients with high blood pressure, diabetes and loss of sexual power.

- Positive psycho-social effects are also observed, such as headache, dizziness, poor attention and insomnia complaints, improvement of mental state and depressive state, and better and energetic feeling of the patient.

It is important to perform the recommended exercises regularly during and after EECP treatment. Patients should pay attention to following diets, not smoking, regular use of drugs given for coronary artery disease, heart failure, high blood pressure, arrhythmia, high cholesterol.

Phone: 0.342.211 50 00