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THE CARDIAC REVOLUTION: An Explosion of New Technology at The HEART HOSPITAL of New Jersey at Saint Barnabas For a week, Elaine Morrisroe thought she had a pinched nerve in her neck. Then, while at the hairdresser, she suddenly broke out into a cold sweat and felt clammy. "They called the Rescue Squad," says Mrs. Morrisroe, of West Orange. "My blood pressure had dropped drastically and I was taken to Saint Barnabas. That is where I had my heart attack. They gave me TPA, the clot buster, and it worked right away." An angiogram revealed that Mrs. Morrisroe suffered from a narrowing of her artery. Her cardiologist, Gary Rogal, M.D., Chief of Cardiology Services for the Saint Barnabas Health Care System, recommended that she undergo an angioplasty procedure, a form of coronary intervention through catheterization. Dr. Rogal placed a small mesh tube called an intercoronary stent within the narrowed section of the artery, restoring the normal flow of blood to Mrs. Morrisroe's heart. "I feel great," she says, "completely back to normal." According to Dr. Rogal, cardiology has evolved so rapidly over the past decade that it is literally exploding with new technology, and stories like Mrs. Morrisroe's. To meet the growing demand for the best in cardiac treatment, The HEART HOSPITAL of New Jersey, located at Saint Barnabas Medical Center and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, has built a program offering the latest advances in cardiac care. "With the creation of this facility at Saint Barnabas, the patients we serve now benefit from the newest, most sophisticated technology here in their own neighborhood," Dr. Rogal says. Until recently, people were often faced with one option: have a heart attack or have heart surgery. Today, there are multiple options, including interventional cardiology, electrophysiology and cardiothoracic surgery. Major New Directions in Cardiac Treatment Caring for the patient with a heart attack -- According to Dr. Rogal, the The new approach to arrhythmia -- Heart rhythm disorders of all types are now being treated by electrophysiology, a subspecialty of cardiology that focuses on the electrical aspects of the heart and their management. When a patient develops potentially dangerous rhythms and requires treatment, the heart's electrical signals are interrupted in order to map the origin of the arrhythmia and determine the most appropriate therapy. Treatments include performing catheter ablation, which eliminates the scar tissue on the heart that is causing the arrhythmia, inserting either a pacemaker to regulate the rhythm or an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator to shock the heart back to a normal beat. Innovations in Cardiothoracic Surgery -- "More surgical options are available today than ever before," says Craig Saunders, M.D., Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery, who joined the System after serving as Head of Affiliated Programs at the world-recognized Cleveland Clinic. "Meeting the needs of the most challenging patients is one of our top priorities." The HEART HOSPITAL is a leader in Beating Heart surgery, first introduced by Dr. Saunders' team and later used during a complex seven-vessel procedure in which a coronary artery bypass was performed while the heart was still beating. The technique eliminates the need for heart/lung support equipment and results in fewer complications, less pain and a quicker recovery. New Jersey's only TMR (transmyocardial revascularization) program - the laser procedure for patients with heart disease too severe for traditional bypass surgery - is also offered. "Everything we have done to provide great care has had a positive impact on cardiac outcomes," says Cathy Young, R.N., Vice President of Cardiac Services for Saint Barnabas Health Care System. "Cardiac surgery at Saint Barnabas began in May of 1999. For the remaining seven months of the year we had a zero mortality rate for coronary artery bypass graft patients. In the first full year, the rate was 1.67, compared to the New Jersey hospital average of 2.6. These are fantastic results." The HEART HOSPITAL at Saint Barnabas includes a Cardiac Pavilion with a dedicated 8-bed CardiothoracicIntensive Care Unit; a 24-bed stepdown unit for post-surgical cardiac patients; a 46-bed telemetry unit where patients are on cardiac monitors 24 hours daily; a filmless Catheterization Suite comprised of three individual cath labs; a five-bed catheterization prep/recovery suite; two dedicated surgical suites, a welcoming reception area, and on-site family and patient lounges. The cardiac team at Saint Barnabas provides a variety of services to ease patients through the experience and put them on the road to recovery, including guided imagery for patients undergoing cardiac surgery, cardiac rehabilitation facilities and an on-site rehabilitation gym. An individually customized, computerized multimedia program helps patients learn more about their condition and treatment regimen. A personalized web page provides reinforcement once the patient goes home. The Center for Health and Wellness and the Seigler Center for Integrative Medicine at Saint Barnabas Ambulatory Care Center offer patients rehabilitation activities including yoga and T'ai Chi. The Cardiac Surgery Program at Saint Barnabas is a result of The Inner-City Cardiac Demonstration Project, approved by the N.J. Department of Health and Senior Services in 1998. It was designed to strengthen the already established cardiac services at Newark Beth Israel as it built a needed cardiac program in the Livingston community. For more information please call 1 (888) 8-HEART-1 [ top ] |
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