Community Corner
St. Mary's Announces New Cardiovascular Procedures
Cardiologists are treating conditions in much less invasive ways than traditional methods.
has three new ways to help treat cardiovascular issues with as little invasion as possible, the hospital announced in a news release.
St. Mary’s cardiologists can now close holes between chambers of the heart, access the heart through a blood vessel in the wrist instead of a much larger vessel in the leg, and reopen clogged blood vessels in the arms, legs and other parts of the body – all through one small incision.
“Advances in technology are making it possible to perform more and more cardiovascular procedures through tiny incisions instead of with open surgery,” St. Mary’s President and CEO Don McKenna said in the news release. “St. Mary’s is committed to making the latest advances in catheter technology available to our community in order to help our patients recover as quickly and fully as possible.”
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On Feb. 28, Oconee Heart and Vascular Center cardiologist Patrick Willis performed the first procedure ever done at St. Mary’s to close a hole inside the heart.
Also new at St. Mary’s is transradial catheterization and intervention, which aims to reopen a clogged coronary artery that is causing chest pain or even a heart attack. The cardiologist uses a catheter to insert a tiny balloon into the artery, inflate it to restore blood flow, and then insert a medicated spring called a stent to hold the artery open.
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In addition, minimally invasive catheter procedures can now also be used at St. Mary’s to treat peripheral artery disease, or PAD. Plaque build-up can happen in any artery in the body, not just the coronary arteries. When plaque narrows parts of leg or arm arteries, reduced blood flow can cause muscle pain, fatigue, and slow healing of wounds. Untreated, can cause severe disability.
Today, cardiologists can relieve the pain of PAD and restore function using the same techniques they use to treat heart attacks: balloon angioplasty and stent implantation.
To find out more, talk to your doctor or visit St. Mary’s website, or contact Drs. Clay Chappell and Patrick Willis at 706.389.3440.
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