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BELLEVILLE, NJ—Clara Maass Medical Center is now offering elective angioplasty to patients through participation in an important nationwide research study.
The research study, called the Atlantic C-PORT-E Study of elective angioplasty, is undertaken in partnership with Johns Hopkins and Duke University Clinical Research Center. The goal is to determine the success rate of angioplasty performed at hospitals without a cardiac surgery unit.
Clara Maass Medical Center was one of only 12 New Jersey hospitals selected to participate in this 2-year research study for its high level of experience and outstanding cardiac services.
Angioplasty is a procedure in which a small balloon is inserted to open a blocked artery and restore blood flow to the heart. A heart attack can occur if that blood flow becomes completely blocked.
Now, patients can elect to participate in the Atlantic C-Port-E study and may have this procedure performed at Clara Maass Medical Center on an elective basis, where they will remain in the constant care of their trusted physician, and stay close to home. This will ensure continuity of care and maximize patient and family comfort.
“Clara Maass performed its first elective case on May 12th, which was a great success,” said Thomas A. Biga, executive director, Clara Maass Medical Center. “The people in our community can now greatly benefit from this new service at the Medical Center.”
A staff of highly-experienced interventional cardiologists at Clara Maass Medical Center is available to perform elective angioplasty. These are the same trusted physicians who have performed hundreds of life-saving angioplasty procedures on an emergent basis for years.
Elie Chakhtoura, M.D., successfully performed theMay 12th elective angioplasty procedure. “We have been performing emergency angioplasty with quality outcomes at Clara Maass since 2005,” said Dr. Chakhtoura. “Combining the high technical skills of our interventional team with the recently installed state-of-the-art cath lab equipment, will allow us to safely and effectively perform elective angioplasty at Clara Maass.”
Clara Maass is currently renovating its original cardiac catheterization lab —also known as a “cath lab”—and recently opened a second in its Cardiac Services Department. Both cath labs will use state-of-the-art digital technology to diagnose and treat blockages in blood vessels throughout the body.
According to the 2008 NJ Department of Health Hospital Performance Report, Clara Maass ranks first in the State for the treatment of congestive heart failure and heart attack. Additionally, CMMC ranks among the best in the State in bettering the 90-minute standard for treating emergency angioplasty patients with a 74-minute “door-to-balloon time.”
For more information about the Atlantic C-Port-E research study at Clara Maass Medical Center or for a referral to an interventional cardiologist who performs elective angioplasty, please call the Saint Barnabas Health Care Link at 1-888-SBHS-123.
Clara Maass Medical Center, an affiliate
of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System, provides a complete
continuum of care to residents of northern New Jersey, primarily
serving Essex, Bergen and Hudson Counties. Clara Maass
Centers of medical excellence include the Women’s Health Center, Nuclear
Medicine, The Cancer Center at Clara Maass, Diagnostic Cardiac Services including
Cardiac Catheterization, Emergency Angioplasty and Rehabilitation, The Pain
Management Center, The Joint & Spine Institute,
a Vascular Center, Same Day Surgery, The Wound Center
at Clara Maass, The Center for Sleep Disorders, The
Bariatric Center at Clara Maass, Rehabilitation Services,
Maternity Services and Parent Education, as well
as Pediatrics. For a physician referral or more information
about Clara Maass, call 1-888-SBHS-123 or visit www.saintbarnabas.com.
Date: June 5, 2009
Contact: Cathy Toscano
Director,
Public Relations
973.450.2996
ctoscano@sbhcs.com
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