Cath Lab latest procedures improve
diagnosis and treatment
When you experience symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or fatigue, these could be a sign of a serious cardiac condition. Should these occur, you need the peace of mind that your heart is in the right place for diagnosis and treatment.
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Dr. Paul Casale, Medical
Director of Cardiology and
Division Chief at the Lancaster
General Heart Center. |
The skilled staff and advanced technologies of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab (Cath Lab) at the Lancaster General Heart Center achieves high quality outcomes for patients, which provides the confidence you need when seeking complete heart care close to home.
“In addition, by treating a large number of patients, we are able to maintain a well-trained staff along with the latest equipment,” says Paul N. Casale, MD, Medical Director of Cardiology and Division Chief at the Lancaster General Heart Center.
During a cardiac catheterization, a very thin catheter (hollow plastic tube) is inserted into a blood vessel in the groin. This catheter is then advanced to the heart where pictures are taken by injecting dye into the arteries of the heart. This allows doctors to diagnose and determine the best treatment for conditions such as coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, congestive heart failure and congenital heart disease.
If a blockage is discovered, the doctor can often treat it right away using balloon angioplasty, where a tiny balloon is inflated in the area of blockage, and then a tiny stent is inserted to keep the artery open. For harder blockages, a tiny drill clears the artery before a stent is placed.
“If someone has an abnormal heart stress test, we will recommend heart catheterization to diagnose and possibly treat the problem,” says Scott Riebel, Vice Chief of Cardiology at the Lancaster General Heart Center.
Many patients who a few years ago would’ve required open heart surgery and months of recovery can now be successfully treated with angioplasty that provides immediate relief from obstructed blood flow to the heart muscle. This alternative to open heart surgery allows for a brief recovery time.
Catheterization techniques and technologies continue to improve, and Lancaster General is dedicated to providing the latest advances to achieve the best possible results.
In our three state-of-the-art cath labs, doctors perform an average of 4,500 diagnostic procedures and 1,500 interventions every year, or about 20-30 cases each day, says Richard Hinkle, RN, RCIS, Manager, Invasive Cardiology Services at Lancaster General.
“We are the most active cath lab in the region and by far the leader of these services in our community,” Richard says.
Better imaging
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To obtain a complete understanding of how blood
flows through the heart and its coronary arteries,
our cardiac team uses sophisticated digital x-ray
cath labs to performmore than 4,000
catheterizations a year. |
One recent major improvement is flat panel digital imaging equipment in the labs, which helps the doctors better visualize catheter movement and abnormalities of the heart, thereby enhancing their ability to make accurate diagnoses and provide effective treatment.
“Flat panel technology gives us a clearer view of the coronary arteries and better characterization of the blockages inside the arteries,” Dr. Casale adds. “We can approach and fix more potentially challenging coronary anatomy.”
“Being able to view the procedure more clearly makes a big difference in how we can best treat our patients,” Dr. Riebel says.
Improved stent technology
Doctors at the Heart Center now use drug-coated stents, which reduce scar tissue formation and significantly decrease the need for a follow-up procedure.
“Improvements in stent technology have allowed us to treat more heart blockages that before would have required bypass surgery,” Dr. Casale says.
Quality care
Often a person may require a cardiac catheterization an electrophysiology or pacing (EP) study. That used to mean moving the patient from a Cath Lab to the EP Lab for a second procedure.
“We now have a room at the Heart Center that can do both,” Dr. Casale says. “It’s easier on the patient not to have to move from one room to the next.”
The Heart Center Cath Lab meets or exceeds national quality standards for emergency care. National benchmark for the emergent treatment of a patient having a heart attack is 90 minutes. “This year we are running at about 75 minutes,” Richard says. “But we continue to strive to improve every day.”
It’s another example of how Lancaster General is providing timely, quality healthcare for our community.
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