When Every Second Counts

A few days ago, the Cardiology Department at the Provincial Specialist Hospital in Wrocław faced one of the most challenging scenarios in modern cardiology – a patient in cardiogenic shock, a life-threatening complication of heart attack.

This is a situation where every decision, every move by the medical team can determine whether a person lives or dies.

Cardiology team performing complex coronary angioplasty procedure

A Challenge for the Most Experienced

Cardiogenic shock is a condition in which the heart is so weakened that it cannot pump enough blood to vital organs. Even in the best cardiology centers in the world, this poses an enormous challenge – requiring not only knowledge and experience, but also access to the most advanced technologies.

Led by Dr. Paweł Wnęk, in collaboration with Prof. Marcin Protasiewicz and Prof. Tomasz Roleder, the team faced the task of performing a complex multi-stage coronary angioplasty.

Real-time angiographic imaging of coronary vessels

Technology at the Highest Level

During the procedure, solutions were employed that until recently were reserved only for the largest medical centers in the world:

Mechanical circulatory support – the Impella pump, which took over part of the heart's work, giving it a chance to regenerate.

NIRs imaging – advanced technology allowing precise visualization of coronary vessels in real time.

This combination of team experience and state-of-the-art equipment created the conditions to achieve what until recently seemed impossible in a local hospital setting.

Impella pump controller – mechanical circulatory support system

Complete Therapeutic Success

The result? A saved life and complete therapeutic success. After the procedure, the patient was placed under the care of the intensive care team of Dr. Magdalena Garncarek and Dr. Krzysztof Brust, who provided specialized postoperative care.

This achievement is more than the medical success of a single team. It is proof that the collaboration model between a clinical hospital and the Medical Faculty of Wrocław University of Science and Technology works and delivers real, measurable results. That innovation, scientific research, and clinical practice can go hand in hand.

Thanks to this, the Cardiology Department of WSSK in Wrocław joins the elite group of interventional cardiology centers in Poland, where procedures are performed at the highest world level.

We congratulate the entire team on this remarkable achievement and wish them continued success!

WSSK Cardiology Department team with the patient after successful procedure