In an unprecedented medical milestone in Costa Rica, Henry Sánchez, a resident of Coronado, has received a second chance at life thanks to the implantation of a mechanical heart at the Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia Hospital. The procedure, performed by a highly specialized medical team, allowed him to overcome advanced heart failure that had seriously compromised his health.
“I feel like I was before, doing everything I used to do, and I can do it now. There are no limits,” said Sánchez after experiencing a notable improvement in his quality of life.
Given the lack of viable transplant options, the hospital’s specialists offered him the possibility of receiving a state-of-the-art ventricular assist device, the HeartMate III. This device is designed to pump blood continuously, reducing complications and improving long-term clinical outcomes.
A completely different person
“I woke up and it was completely different, because blood was already reaching other parts that hadn’t been reaching before… it was a blood supply to the entire body, the brain, major organs, even the feet,” said the patient, grateful to the CCSS and the medical team responsible for his case.
A complex procedure
The medical manager of the CCSS, Dr. Alexander Sánchez Cabo, highlighted the complexity of the procedure. “This is not an ordinary procedure. It is a highly specialized surgery that demonstrates the technical capacity of the CCSS and our commitment to people’s lives.”
For the surgery, Sánchez underwent rigorous preoperative evaluations that included imaging studies, laboratory tests, and assessments by a multidisciplinary medical team. During the operation, which lasted between four and six hours, he was under general anesthesia and connected to a heart-lung bypass pump. The device was precisely implanted to ensure continuous blood flow. Final calibration ensured its proper functioning and the absence of leaks or failures.
