From diagnosis through treatment, Crozer-Keystone Health System cardiac specialists continually work to introduce new technologies and techniques to keep Delaware County residents “heart healthy.”
Among the more recent innovations in the realm of cardiac care include the introduction of a system that could help save precious time in the treatment of heart attack victims, as well as technology to provide physicians with more accurate images for the treatment of heart rhythm disorders.
Saving Time, Saving Lives
When someone suffers a heart attack, beginning treatment as soon as possible is the highest priority.
“Fast treatment for heart attack victims may not only be the difference between life and death, but it can also mean the difference between disability and a return to an active lifestyle,” says Edward LaPorta, M.D., chief of Cardiology at Delaware County Memorial Hospital (DCMH).
That is the main reason Crozer-Keystone recently began an initiative to provide the health system’s paramedic units with the ability to perform 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG) tests from any location. Paramedics can now send detailed information about patients’ heart conditions from the field back to emergency medicine physicians and cardiologists at Crozer-Keystone hospitals. Currently, the physicians must wait until patients arrive at the hospital to perform this test.
“Having the ability to perform 12-lead EKG tests in the field allows us to quickly assess the patient’s condition, determine what the best treatment may be and then properly prepare to administer that treatment as soon as the patient arrives. The time we save is crucial in the treatment and recovery of the patient,” says Ancil Jones, M.D., chief of Cardiology at Crozer-Chester Medical Center.
Treatment for heart attacks typically includes opening the patient’s blocked artery with “clot-busting” drugs or performing primary angioplasty. Primary angioplasty involves inserting tiny, flexible tubes called catheters into the artery, then inflating a small balloon to open up the affected area. Primary angioplasties and other interventional cardiology procedures are performed at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland, where two new state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization laboratories were recently opened and a third is set to open in the next few months.
Patients at Taylor, DCMH or Springfield Hospital who may require primary angioplasty are transported to Crozer via the health system’s Critical Care Transport Service. This service consists of paramedics who have received extensive training in the transport of critical-care patients as well as a network of physicians, nurses and emergency care personnel.
“Crozer-Keystone has worked to develop a safe and effective system for the fast treatment of heart attack patients throughout Delaware County. The addition of 12-lead EKG technology in our ambulances makes this system even better,” says Samuel Ruby, M.D., chief of Cardiology at Taylor.
A New View on Heart Rhythm Disorders
At Crozer-Chester Medical Center, cardiac electrophysiologists are now using a CARTO mapping system that provides them with three-dimensional, color-coded views into the electrical activity of the heart.
“The CARTO system allows for a more complete and effective localization of the focus of a rhythm disorder. These images help us more easily identify heart rhythm disorders – such as atrial fibrillation (a rapid, irregular heart rhythm) and determine the proper treatment options,” says Scott Hessen, M.D., medical director of Cardiac Electrophysiology at Crozer.
If a heart rhythm disorder cannot be corrected through lifestyle or medication, Crozer-Keystone electrophysiologists can perform such procedures as the implantation of a defibrillator, radiofrequency catheter ablation (the use of radio waves sent through a catheter to the heart muscle to block an abnormal pathway), or cardiac resynchronization therapy, in which a device is implanted into a heart failure patient to help the patient’s heart’s chambers to beat “in sync” with each other.
Patients who may have concerns about their heart health can meet with a cardiologist at each of Crozer-Keystone’s inpatient hospitals.
“No matter which Crozer-Keystone hospital you choose, you can be confident that you will receive high-quality cardiac care. We are committed to providing Delaware County residents with advanced services, from diagnosis to treatment to cardiac rehabilitation, in a welcoming environment,” says Domenic Pisano, D.O., chief of Cardiology at Springfield Hospital.
For more information about Crozer-Keystone Health System cardiac services, or to find a cardiologist who’s right for you and to make an appointment, call 1-800-CK-HEALTH (1-800-254-3258).