New Mother Survives AFE With Help from Impella®

Kayleigh Summers, a wife and mother, was in labor with her first child on July 18, 2019, when she suffered an amniotic fluid embolism and went into cardiogenic shock. Physicians at a local hospital performed an emergency C-section and delivered her healthy baby boy, Callahan. Kaleigh was placed on VA ECMO and transported to Lankenau Medical Center in Wynnewood, PA. Her condition continued to decline and interventional cardiologist Mara Caroline implanted the Impella CP heart pump to allow her heart to rest and recover. After spending two weeks in the hospital, Kayleigh returned home to her family.

Today, Kayleigh has normal heart function and an ejection fraction of 60% and owns a private therapy practice in Downingtown, PA specializing in perinatal trauma. She also advocates for women who experience birth trauma in public presentations and on social media. Kayleigh has created an online community and shares her personal experiences to provide education and support around amniotic fluid embolism and birth trauma. 

As with any medical treatment, individual results may vary. There are potential risks, these risks need to be discussed with your doctor and recovery takes time. The success of this procedure depends on many factors, including your physical condition and your body’s ability to tolerate the procedure. Use care in the selection of your doctors and hospital, based on their skill and experience.