SL_STMARYMEDICAL_Profile_0119 . qxp_Profile 1 / 14 / 19 4 : 50 PM Page 1 balloon catheter and uses high - speed sonic D PROFILE t pressure waves that pass hrough soft tissue to selectively break up hardened calcified plaque inside the vessel . The goal : to improve outcomes for patients with peripheral artery disease ( PAD ) ho have severely calcified vessels . w David Drucker , M.D . , an interventional cardiologist at St . Mary who pecializes in pe - s ripheral vascular procedures , successfully per - formed the first intravascular lithotripsy pro - Heart cedure in June on a patient with a history of symptomatic PAD . “ This is potentially a groundbreaking tech - nology that may offer a significant treatment advanta to patients with severe vascular ge to Heart calcification , ” says Dr . Drucker . “ It’s exciting to be able to offer a new and minimally invasive option for such a serious and technically challenging condition . ” Specialized cutting , rotational , and high - y used in pressure catheters traditionall balloon angioplasty are not always effective in treating and breaking up complex calcified lesions in the arterial wall . This new tech - nology tackles the most challenging calcifi - cations , while potentially reducing the risk ? of serious complications . Did You Know ? St . Mary Medical Center is St . Mary Medical Center offers a breakthrough ranked the 19th best hospital in treatment for patients with a leaky heart valve who Pennsylvania and “ high per - are too high - risk for surgery . forming ” in four different adult by JENNIFER UPDIKE cedures and conditions , in - pro cluding heart failure , chronic The cardiology team at St . Mary Medical Center “ We’re very excited to offer the MitraClip obstructive pulmonary disease in Langhorne recently became one of the first option to eligible patients , ” says interventional health systems in the region to offer MitraClip cardiologist Roi Altit , M.D . , St . Mary ompre - C ( COPD ) , hip replacement , and therapy — a minimally invasive treatment option hensive Cardiology Associates . “ Minimally in - cording knee replacement , ac for people with a severe leak in the mitral vasive options like this can give patients who to the most recent U.S . News & valve who are considered too high - risk for have no other treatment options an opportunity tra - o get back to their normal lives . ” t ditional open - heart surgery . World Report ranking . Hospital The small MitraClip device is guided into “ The cardiology team at St . Mary Medical rankings are based on survival place with a catheter and then attached to the Center is proud to offer innovative therapies fl that expand our patients ’ access to care and aps of the mitral valve to help it close more and readmission rates , volume , can give them a chance at a better outcome , ” completely , restoring normal blood flow . safety , patient experi - patient says interventional cardiologist Ronald H . Patients tend to have a short hospital stay and ence , and quality of care . High - Fields , M.D . , Medical Director , the Heart and ex improved heart function and symp - perience Vascular Lab at St . Mary . toms almost immediately . performing designations are The most common heart valve disease , based on quality indicators mitralregurgitation , is usually treated with open - New Treatment for Blockages in Leg Arteries heart valve replacement surgery . However , ffing , such as volume , nurse sta In addition , St . Mary Medical Center is the first somepatients are not healthy enough to tolerate specially trained physicians , in Bucks County and among the first in the re - surgery . The mitral valve on the left side of the and patient satisfaction scores . gion to offer peripheral intravascular lithotripsy heart has two flaps that open and close to to treat and open arteries in the legs that are allow blood to flow . Leaks occur when these blocked by severe calcium deposits . flaps do not close completely , so the heart has The new Shockwave IVL ( intravascular to work harder to keep blood flowing , which TO LEARN MORE ABOUT lithotripsy ) system is based o raises the risk for life - threatening stroke and n the lithotripsy D ADVANCED CARDIOVAS - heart failure . Severe mitral valve regurgitation technology that has been used in urology for CULAR CARE AT ST . MARY can profoundly affect a person’s quality of life more than 30 years as a safe and effective pro - ( 215 ) 710 - 6026 bycausing shortness of breath , extreme fatigue , cedure to break up calcified kidney stones . A and other debilitating sympt miniaturized lithotripsy device is delivered via oms . StMaryHealthCare.org SUBURBANLIFEMAGAZINE.COM JANUARY 2019 54 |