INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY
For cardiovascular disease diagnosis and treatment , innovation leads the way at Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital – Dallas ’ Department of Interventional Cardiology . In addition , the hospital continues its long-standing tradition of participation in clinical trials and research in the area of interventional cardiology .
In fiscal year 2018 , combining volume totals for Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital - Dallas and for the Fort Worth campus , there were more than 17,198 cardiac catheterization lab procedures performed and more than 6,774 electrophysiology ( EP ) lab procedures .
In Dallas , 11 labs are well-equipped and several have flexibility for both heart and vascular care as well as electrophysiology cases . Four of the labs are heart and vascular capable , five are EP capable , one is used for endovascular cases , and two are hybrid rooms . The labs offer advanced image quality and radiation lowering equipment for patient and staff safety .
Installed in the prior year , both a Dallas and a Fort Worth cath lab now have the Corindus ® Vascular Robotics CorPath System . The Corindus Vascular Robotics CorPath System is the first and only FDA-cleared medical device to bring robotic-assisted precision to coronary angioplasty procedures . Robotics improves the precision of stent and balloon placements and reduces radiation exposure during the procedure for physicians .
Cardiologists on the medical staffs at both the Dallas and Fort Worth campuses became a part of a small-group in the state of Texas to first use robotic-assisted technology to perform coronary angioplasties or place cardiac stents .
In addition , labs are equipped with advanced technology , including digital subtraction , intravascular ultrasound , intracardiac echocardiography and coronary flow wire – equipment which enhances data accuracy and accessibility .
Transradial Cardiac Catheterization
More than one million heart catheterizations are completed in this country every year . It is a safe and effective procedure to both look for blockages in the heart and treat blockages . Traditionally , this procedure is performed from a puncture in the leg , but studies have shown that going through the wrist , using the transradial approach , physicians can achieve the same results with a shorter hospital stay and with less bleeding or discomfort .
The transradial approach does not require strict bedrest as is usual for a catheterization from the leg . Patients can eat almost immediately and are able to go home in a few hours . For some patients , especially the elderly , lying motionless on the back for up to eight hours may be challenging . Because the radial artery in the wrist is small , the patient can move off the cath lab table immediately after the procedure has been completed . After a brief recovery , individually dependent patients typically resume normal activities in a few days .
At Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital – Dallas , the transradial approach has been performed since 1996 and it continues to gain in volume for appropriate patients . Numerous studies including those in 2010 and 2011 show a reduction in mortality rates for highrisk patients who underwent transradial cardiac catheterization rather than the traditional transfemoral approach where the catheter is introduced through the femoral artery . In fiscal year 2018 , more than one-third of the total cardiac catheterization cases were performed via the transradial approach .
LEAP FOR LIFE ®
Leap for Life ® is a lifestyle education awareness program for cardiovascular patients and their family members . Physicians often encourage their patients to attend Leap for Life sessions held several times a month in Dallas and Fort Worth .
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