Brendon Atumata of Ewa Beach is grateful to be alive.

Atumata, 34, just made history as the first patient in Hawaii to successfully undergo open-heart surgery at Queen’s Medical Center for the implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). The battery-operated mechanical pump helps the heart’s left ventricle pump a continuous flow of blood to the rest of the body.

The Queen’s Health Systems is marking it as a milestone, as patients with advanced stages of heart failure previously had to travel to the mainland to have the procedure done, with stays lasting anywhere from six to
12 months.

“This is pretty much like a second chance,” said Atumata at a press conference at Queen’s on Monday, thanking the entire team, along with the “Big Man above,” and his mom and girlfriend who served as his support system.

The surgery took place Oct. 1, lasting about 3-1/2 hours. Atumata recovered quicker than expected, and was discharged from the hospital on Monday.

Queen’s said the effort to develop the LVAD implantation program, making it available
to Hawaii patients, has been a collaborative effort spanning more than five years.

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It involved extensive coordination and training with partners such as Honolulu Emergency Medical Services and the Honolulu Fire Department, along with intermediate care facilities, dialysis centers — even Hawaiian Electric — to establish the infrastructure necessary for patients living with LVAD devices.

Queen’s also achieved federal DNV certification in May, which it said was a critical step in establishing the hospital as a comprehensive LVAD implantation center.

The surgical team was led by Dr. Muhammad Anwer, a Queen’s cardiac surgeon with extensive experience in LVAD implantation and heart transplantation, in close collaboration with Dr. Jesus Pino Moreno, an advanced heart failure
cardiologist and director of Queen’s Center for Advanced Heart Failure and LVAD.

According to Moreno, Atumata made an extraordinary recovery, much quicker than most patients undergoing the procedure. He was able to stand up the day after surgery, and is being sent home much earlier than anticipated.

With the new device, the hope is that Atumata can get back some quality of life.

Atumata, a former football and rugby player, said he first began feeling symptoms in 2020, including shortness of breath.

In January 2021, after trying to work through
the holidays delivering furniture, he landed in the emergency room and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.

He said his mother rushed him to the ER, where he was told, “if I didn’t come in within the next couple hours, I wouldn’t be here today.”

Atumata said he can feel the difference before and after the LVAD implantation. Before, he used to start breathing hard after walking a short distance. Now, he can walk a lot farther without shortness
of breath, but he’s aware that recovery will take
time and that it will be an adjustment.

Patients with the mechanical device can take a shower, but can not swim in a pool or the ocean. Surfing and high-impact sports are not recommended,
either, according to Dr. Moreno. But patients with LVADs have gone on to lead an active lifestyle.

The device can improve symptoms and functional capacity for patients with advanced heart failure or serve as a bridge to a heart transplant. Queen’s is letting patients know the procedure is now available here.

Queen’s invested millions of dollars into setting up the program, according to President and CEO Jason Chang, which involved bringing in the surgical team and surrounding
support staff for the
procedure.

“We remain deeply committed to expanding our services to ensure our
patients have access to
the most comprehensive care available right here in Hawaii,” said Chang in a news release. “This is just one example of how we
are always looking to keep care closer to home by utilizing the latest forms of technology paired with
our world-class team of innovative physicians and caregivers.”

Dr. Michael Tanoue, Queen’s Chief of Cardiology for Queen’s, said the implantation “represents a fundamental advancement in what we can offer patients with advanced heart failure at Queen’s, and a major milestone for cardiovascular care in Hawaii.”