Houston man discovers Barostim procedure to save mother from heart transplant

Son finds procedure to save mom from heart failure

Houston mom, Thelma Haggard, faced the daunting possibility of a heart transplant due to severe heart failure, but her son, Billy Wilson, discovered a procedure as an alternative treatment. FOX 26 anchor Melissa Wilson has more on the story.

HOUSTON - Thelma Haggard was diagnosed with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, a condition where her heart was weak due to unknown reasons, not blockages. Her heart was enlarged, beating rapidly, and her ejection fraction was very low, leading doctors to consider a heart transplant.

After receiving the daunting news, Thelma's son, Billy Wilson, began researching alternative treatments. He discovered the Barostim procedure and found Dr. Khaled Khalaf in Houston, who agreed to perform the surgery.

Houston mom avoids heart transplant

What they're saying:

"I just had an echocardiogram, and it wasn't showing any improvement in my heart, which is enlarged and beats rapidly, and my ejection fraction was very low and they wanted to put me on the list for a heart transplant, but I'm so thankful we found out about this procedure. Now I have more energy. I'm starting to feel like me again," says Thelma Haggard.

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"We were in prayer about it, spent a lot of time online looking at alternative treatments and stumbled upon Barostim and found a doctor here in Houston to be able to do the procedure," says her son, Billy Wilson.

"This device stimulates the carotid bulb in an effort to minimize sympathetic tone. Sympathetic tone is our fight or flight response. That's something we want to really turn down, if you will, in somebody with a weak, failing heart," explains Dr. Khaled Khalaf with Vital Heart and Vein.

"Within a year, she's done more than what she's done the last seven years. I can actually get her out of the house and do some shopping now, whereas before, she couldn't do much at all," says her thankful son, Billy.

What is the Barostim procedure?

The backstory:

The Barostim procedure involves implanting a small device under the skin in the chest, connected to the carotid artery in the neck. It sends signals to help regulate heart function and blood pressure, offering a less invasive option than a heart transplant.

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One of the main contraindicators that would not allow a patient to consider this procedure is a problems with their carotid arteries.

Why you should care:

The Barostim procedure offers hope for patients with systolic heart failure to improve quality of life.

What's next:

Thelma continues to recover and is eager to return to activities she loves, like ballroom dancing.

What you can do:

If you or a loved one is facing heart failure, consult with a cardiologist to explore all of your treatment options.

Dig deeper:

For more information on the Barostim procedure, visit the Barostim website or the Vital Heart and Vein website.