New Surgeon Enhances Expertise at Heart Center
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Dr. Subhasis Chatterjee (center) has joined the team of surgeons at
Cardiothoracic Surgeons of Lancaster that includes Dr. Jeffrey
Cope (left) and Dr. Mark Burlingame (right). |
As heart disease continues to be a leading cause of death in Americans, Lancaster General Heart Center is providing the lastest expertise and technology to address this problem.
To meet that growing demand and ensure that cardiac patients continue to receive the high quality care they expect from Lancaster General, Subhasis Chatterjee, MD, has joined the surgical team at Cardiothoracic Surgeons of Lancaster, exclusive providers of cardiac surgery to Lancaster General Heart Center.
“We are very happy that Dr. Chatterjee is bringing his expertise and experience here, enhancing the cutting-edge treatments we offer,” says Mark Burlingame, MD, Chief, Division of Cardiac Surgery and Cardiothoracic Surgeons of Lancaster.
“He brings state-of-the-art cardiac and thoracic surgical techniques to our team,” adds Jeffrey Cope, MD, noting his work with minimally invasive surgery for atrial fibrillation.
Atrial Fibrillation
About three million Americans currently live with atrial fibrillation, a treatable condition that causes the heart rate to rapidly increase without warning, resulting in shortness of breath and discomfort.
For many people, medication is used to control the debilitating effects of this condition. But for some, there is a more effective way to treat and control it through minimally invasive surgery and reduce or eliminate the need for medication.
Without treatment, people with atrial fibrillation don’t live as long and are at higher risk for stroke.
“Surgery gives patients a 75-80 percent chance for curing the atrial fibrillation and keeping them off the medications,” Dr. Chatterjee says. “We are able to provide more patients with this option.”
People with an active lifestyle may prefer the benefits of treating it through minimally invasive surgery over medication or traditional surgery, he says.
Mitral Valve Surgery
Dr. Chatterjee also arrives with an interest in mitral valve surgery. A leaking mitral valve results in some of the cardiac output going backwards into the lungs. This results in shortness of breath, a weakened heart and shorter life expectancy.
“More and more it is becoming clear that if it is possible to repair the mitral valve using the patient’s own valve instead of an artificial valve, then that should be the preferred option,” he says. “This is a very safe procedure with excellent long-term durability.”
While the repair rates nationally are only around 50 percent, Doctors Burlingame and Cope are able to repair around 90 percent of mitral valves. “That is very similar to what you would be expecting from the leading heart centers around the country,” Dr. Chatterjee says.
It is this sort of high quality medical care and strong cardiovascular program that attracted Dr. Chatterjee. “This is one of the strongest heart centers in the country. It has a quarter century of providing excellent care to the people of Lancaster County by focusing on providing the highest quality care.
“My goal is to build on this solid foundation and continue to look to the future to provide the latest cardiothoracic advances for our patients.”
Implantable HeartMate®
One of the newest advances at Lancaster General in the treatment of heart failure is the implantable ventricular assist device (VAD) known as HeartMate®.
For two years, the Heart Center has offered the external VAD heart assist pump to patients awaiting a heart transplant who likely would not have survived without the device. Dr. Cope says upon the completion of one more VAD, the Heart Center will qualify as a Destination Therapy Center, a certification to offer patients the HeartMate as a longer-term and possibly a permanent treatment for heart failure.
The implantable HeartMate pump is placed completely within the abdomen, with only a small electronic drive line cable outside the body.
“This makes our program much more versatile,” Dr. Cope says. “It provides a level of comfort to have this technology available, allowing us to do higher risk operations. Patients do not need to travel outside the area to a university hospital for their surgery. They can receive their care right here at Lancaster General.”
A Rare Entity
Dr. Chatterjee arrived at Lancaster General in June from the University of Pennsylvania Hospital, with surgical experience at Cornell University and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
“Top notch cardiothoracic doctors are hard to come by these days,” Dr. Burlingame says. “We were very fortunate that Dr. Chatterjee was interested in joining our team. He provides a fresh perspective and gives us an opportunity to examine our treatments and protocols.”
“He is a rare entity, and adds to what we have established here,” Dr. Cope adds. “He will help us continue to achieve the superior results our patients expect from Lancaster General.”
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