Pioneers Memorial Hospital and Reach Air effort first heart attack-saving procedure using balloon pump

BRAWLEY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Reach air has partnered with Pioneers Medical Center for more than 15 years now. For the first time ever, a full-on cardiac lab could help save more lives.

The lab opened last May, but earlier this month, Pioneers added a balloon pump for patients having a heart attack or cardiac complications.

Just this month, Pioneers administered its first balloon pump on a patient. Dr. Richard Jacoby is the Physician Director of this lab and says it helped save the patient's life.

"Time is of the essence if someone is having a heart attack, so we want to get them to where they can get the best treatment as quickly as possible. We were able to place an Intra aortic balloon pump which is a support device to help a patient's heart get more blood and stabilize him," he said.  

The patient was then taken by reach air to a San Diego hospital.
Dr. Jacoby hopes pioneers will soon be able to conduct such life-saving surgeries.