June 11, 2015 - ECRI Institute recently reviewed published data on Abiomed's Impella RP (Right Percutaneous) transcatheter ventricular assist device (VAD). The institute said the device provides immediate significant improvements in hemodynamics with considerable short-term and long-term survival rates.
The Impella RP is a catheter-based intracardiac microaxial blood pump to support short-term pulmonary circulation in pediatric or adult patients. It is intended to provide percutaneous circulatory support to restore normal right heart hemodynamics, reduce right ventricular work, and enable the right heart to potentially recover or sustain the patient until the next therapy.
ECRI searched PubMed, EMBASE and selected Web-based resources for relevant documents published between Jan. 1, 2010, and April 30, 2015. The healthcare technology research firm identified two small nonrandomized comparison studies and three small cohort studies (two of which were retrospective) reporting on 138 patients.
Review of the abstracts of published articles suggests that Impella RP provides immediate significant improvements in hemodynamics with short-term (30 days) and long-term (1 year) survival rates of approximately 70 and 50 percent, respectively. Study populations were small and consisted of mostly male adults with acute right heart failure. Only one study reported on adverse events.
ECRI was unable to determine whether Impella RP works better than similar right ventricular assist devices (e.g., Excor Pediatric VAD, Percutaneous ventricular assist device [PVAD]/implantable ventricular assist device [IVAD] or CentriMag right ventricular assist device [RVAD]) because no studies were available that compare the devices.
The ECRI Institute is an independent nonprofit organization that conducts research into the most effective approaches for improving patient care.
For more information: www.ecri.org
May 13, 2026 
