NAPLES, Fla. – April 13, 2021 Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. As people with heart disease grow older and their disease progresses, plaque in the arteries evolves into calcium deposits, which can narrow the artery. Physicians often use stents to open an artery, and of the approximately one million patients that undergo a stent procedure each year, 30% have problematic calcium that increases their risk for adverse events.
To offer the best cardiac patient experience possible and greatly lower the risks associated with calcium buildup in the arteries, we are happy to announce that NCH is the first hospital on the West Coast of Florida, south of Tampa, to offer a brand new form of therapy never available before to treat calcified coronary arteries called Intravascular Lithotripsy.
This brand-new technology that treats calcium buildup is a novel adaptation of lithotripsy, an approach used for decades to safely break up kidney stones. Intravascular Lithotripsy is now available to fracture problematic arterial calcium that prevents adequate blood flow in the heart. It uses sonic pressure waves, also known as shockwaves, that pass through soft arterial tissue and preferentially disrupt calcified plaque by creating a series of micro-fractures. After the calcium has been cracked, the artery can be expanded at low pressure and a stent safely implanted to improve blood flow, with minimal trauma to normal arterial tissue.
“We are pleased to be able to offer this brand new technology that has not been available before, anywhere, to the patients of the NCH Heart Institute,” said Kristin Mascotti, MD, Chief Medical Officer for the NCH Healthcare System. “Each day, our team of exceptional cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons work tirelessly to save or improve the quality of life of those individuals who choose NCH for their cardiac care. This new therapy will be a wonderful addition to our arsenal of cutting-edge cardiac treatment options to help our patients live a longer, happier, healthier life.”
NCH Heart Institute physicians are trained in this new technology and it is available now as a safer alternative to patients in need of a stent procedure. Patients can call 239-624-4200 for more information or to schedule a consult.
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