Hawaii’s first LVAD heart procedure keeps Ewa Beach man home

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Heart patient Brandon Atumata, 34, of ʻEwa Beach, was discharged Monday from The Queen’s Medical Center after a historic procedure.

Read more Two new council members to guide Hawaii’s Green Fee spending

A team of doctors and medical professionals performed the state’s first left ventricular assist device implantation, commonly known as LVAD.

An LVAD is a surgically implanted pump that assists the heart’s left ventricle in circulating blood throughout the body.

From shortness of breath to heart failure diagnosis

Atumata said he knew something was wrong when his job moving furniture and appliances became more difficult. He thought he was out of shape, but a trip up a flight of stairs at home left him out of breath and sent him to the emergency room.

“I was just trying to catch my breath and ever since — then that’s when we went to the ER and the doctors was telling me, lucky you came in. This could have been worse,” Atumata said.

Atumata said he was suffering from congestive heart failure.

About two and a half weeks ago, he received the LVAD implant at Queen’s, allowing him to recover in Hawaiʻi rather than flying to the continent and staying there for six months to a year.

“I would give it a 10 because now for me the biggest thing was just walking. Now I can walk farther” without getting out of breath, Atumata said.

Read more Suspect wanted in theft, assault at Aiea store

“This is the first technology here so we’re really proud that Queen’s is able to bring this to Hawaiʻi,” said Jason Chang, The Queen’s Health Systems president and CEO.

Dr. Jesus Pino Moreno, director of Queen’s Center for Advanced Heart Failure and LVAD, said, “He recuperated here in Hawaiʻi and he will be able to go from the hospital home to his community, to his family, and I think that is what makes more remarkable having these programs here in our center.”

Pino Moreno worked with cardiac surgeon Dr. Muhammad Anwer and a team of medical professionals to perform the procedure.

Team members celebrated Atumata’s discharge Monday.

“When I look at Dr. Pino, he’s like the canoe paddle, like we’re all journeying together, all paddling together, right?” said Kapunahele Montgomery, vice president of patient care for cardiac services at The Queen’s Medical Center.

“In some of the other boats behind us, you got the nurses, the ICU nurses, the OR nurses and techs, the physicians, the respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, the physical therapists, just a host of people behind everybody that you don’t see,” Montgomery added. “Everybody’s cheering him on today.”

Atumata cannot swim or participate in aggressive contact sports, but he is walking longer distances and taking one day at a time — more precious time with the people who love him.

Read more OnoFest & Fall Expo returns to Blaisdell with new foods, Japanese products