Structural Heart Procedures at Marian’s Heart Center with New FDA Device

SANTA MARIA, CA – May 1, 2017– Structural Heart Procedures are procedures historically done in the Cardiac Operating Room. This service can now be performed by structural heart trained interventional cardiologists using a minimally invasive approach (catheter-based procedure) for abnormalities in the heart structure. Many of these abnormalities are congenital disorders such as a Patent Foraman Ovale (PFO), Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), and Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD). 

The last time Marian’s Cardiologists were proctored on a structural heart case was in Aug 2013. Since that time many advances and patient criteria have expanded in this sub- specialty of cardiology. 

In May 2017 Dr. Joel Lardizabal did two PFO procedures using the recently FDA approved (0ct 28, 2016).  Amplatzer device to close the patients’ Patent Foramen Ovale.  Dr. Carl Owada Director of the Cardiac Cath lab at Valleys Children served as the proctor for these two cases. To assist with the exact placement of the device the Intra Cardiac Echo technology was used to help navigate the device’s precise placement.  The procedures itself were each approximately 75 minutes, done under procedural sedation( not requiring general anesthesia) and both patients went home the  day of their procedures.  The two patients had both been suffering from recurrent ischemic strokes secondary from air being shunted between the right and left atrium secondary to the opening which normally closes at birth. The Amplatzer Device was part of the RESPECT Clinical Trial where its results were presented at the TCT national conference in 2016.  This device demonstrated a 62% reduction in recurrence of ischemic stroke in this population of patients compared to medical management. 

As we continue to grow Marian Heart’s innovation we will continue to keep our patients in our community while offering the latest advancements in cardiovascular medicine.

 

 

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About Marian Regional Medical Center

Marian Regional Medical Center, located in Santa Maria, California, is rated among the top 10% in the nation for cardiac care, and is a designated STEMI Receiving Center (ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction) in Santa Barbara County. Santa Barbara County STEMI receiving programs earned the Silver Award from the American Heart Association for excellence in patient care. 

Marian has achieved prestigious designation as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission. In addition, Marian has received the Healthgrades Distinguished Hospital Clinical Excellence Award. The medical center’s cancer program is distinguished as the only comprehensive Community Cancer Center on the Central Coast. The need to meet the demand for quality, technologicallyadvanced care for a growing community led Marian to open its doors to a new state-of-the-art, 191-bed facility in the spring of 2012. 

The new facility houses the largest and most comprehensive perinatology/neonatology program on the Central Coast providing the most compassionate, quality care to the littlest of patients. Marian is a Dignity Health member of the Central Coast, which also includes Arroyo Grande Community Hospital in Arroyo Grande, CA and French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, CA, St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, CA and St. John’s Pleasant Valley in Camarillo, CA. Dignity Health of the Central Coast is an integrated network of top quality hospitals, physicians from the most prestigious medical schools, and comprehensive outpatient services including primary care offices, premier ambulatory surgery centers, technologically-advanced laboratories and imaging centers and a full service home health agency; all recognized for quality, safety and service. Each hospital is supported by an active philanthropic Foundation to help meet the growing health care needs of our communities.