Report to Our Community - St. Luke's Health System

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ST. LUKE’S PILLARS OF EXCELLENCE New Services Enhance St. Luke’s Heart Care A new cardiac procedure is bringing added peace of mind to heart patients in Siouxland. In March, Dr. Edward Zajac of Cardiovascular Associates (CVA) and Director of Cardiac Catheterization and Interventional Cardiology at St. Luke’s began performing radial artery access. A relatively new cardiac procedure in the U.S., radial access allows a surgeon to access a patient’s heart through the wrist, rather than the groin, to diagnose and treat arterial disease. Zajac is the only Siouxland physician currently offering this new alternative, exclusively at St. Luke’s. “The beauty of radial access is the very low complication rate overall,” says Zajac. “That’s one of the reasons I became interested in this technique. It offers patients a new alternative to traditional interventional procedures, with very positive results.” Patients Experience Less Discomfort, Pain During radial access, a small puncture is made in the patient’s wrist to access the radial artery where a catheter is then threaded into the coronary arteries. After the procedure, which takes around 35 minutes, patients are able to sit upright and are generally allowed to go home two hours later once a compression device is removed from their wrist. Overall, the technique causes patients less discomfort and pain and fewer complications. The patient experience after radial access is in contrast to the experience after traditional interventional procedures. Typically, surgeons access a patient’s heart through their groin. After the procedure, the patient lies flat on their back in bed for four to five hours to prevent the wound from re-opening. “As patients become more aware of the cardiology options available, I do believe more will look at this technique as the best solution for them,” adds Zajac. Only a small number of coronary procedures in the U.S.—around 4.5% — are currently performed using radial access although the procedure is very popular in Europe. Rigorous training is needed by both surgeons and hospital staff before the technique can be performed. “Patient safety and comfort are top priorities for us. In combination, both can help lead to positive patient outcomes,” says Zajac. After radial artery access, a compression device (pictured above) is placed on the patient’s wrist. The new technique causes minimal discomfort and offers very low complication rates. Getting to the Heart of the Matter . Dennis.Spangler.is.a.. gardener..He.also.loves. traveling.and.spending.time. with.his.grandchildren..But.when. an.ever.present.pain.in.his.chest. and.shortness.of.breath.threatened.to. take.those.things.he.enjoyed.away,.the.Wayne,. Nebraska.man.knew.it.was.time.to.take.action.. . “I’d.had.several.tests.through.St..Luke’s.and.. Cardiovascular.Associates’.outreach.clinic.in.Wayne,. but.all.were.inconclusive.in.determining.the.cause. of.my.chest.pain,”.says.Spangler..“The.pain.. became.worse.and.Dr..Jon.Peacock.said.it.was. time.to.do.something.more.”. . Setting.his.worry.aside,.Spangler.checked.into. St..Luke’s.Center.for.Heart.and.Vascular.Health.in. June,.hopeful.doctors.would.discover.the.cause. of.his.chest.discomfort..To.his.surprise,.he.had. two.blocked.arteries,.both.of.which.could.have. caused.a.heart.attack.at.any.time..To.release.the. blockages,.Spangler.received.two.stents,.inserted. through.his.wrist.utilizing.the.technique.of.radial. artery.access.. . “I.didn’t.know.what.doctors.would.find.when. they.looked.at.my.heart,.but.when.I.checked.into.. St..Luke’s.that.day,.I.felt.assured.by. everyone’s.confidence,”.adds.. Spangler..“All.of.the.staff.I.. encountered.said.they’d.take.. care.of.me..Those.are.big.words. and.their.assurance.made.me.feel. comfortable.with.the.procedure.”. . .....After.a.short.recovery,.Spangler. looks.forward.to.returning.to.his. garden.and.planning.a.trip.with.his. wife.Nina.to.Ohio.to.meet.their.. new.grandson.. .......“My.wife.and.I.were.. considering.traveling.to.Ohio. at.the.same.time.as.I.ended.up. the having.my.surgery..When.we. finally.go.to.visit.our.grandson,. we’ll.really.enjoy.the.trip.”
Keeping the Pulse St. Luke’s works closely with Cardiovascular Associates (CVA), the only cardiology group with privileges at St. Luke’s, to ensure heart patients quicker access to St. Luke’s 24-hour Cath Lab. Together, St. Luke’s and CVA provide regional outreach care: • Remote services including non-invasive studies such as echocardiography, stress tests, vascular Doppler studies and Holter monitors. • EKG network offers added convenience; EKGs are taken at a patient’s local hospital and then transmitted to St. Luke’s where they are interpreted by a CVA physician. St. Luke’s has also added electrophysiology services, enhancing the ability to study and treat patients with abnormal heartbeats without major surgery. New Unit Honors Impact of Cardiology Physician The doors have opened on a new unit designed especially for St. Luke’s cardiology patients. St. Luke’s recently unveiled its Coronary Care Unit, located on the hospital’s sixth floor. Combining excellence in cardiology care with patient comfort, the unit features state-of-the-art iBeds offering music, translation and charting capabilities. Spacious, private rooms also offer patients a peaceful place to heal. The unit is staffed with nurses specifically trained in coronary care providing expertise for patients after a heart procedure. In addition to its vital role in a patient’s recovery process, the unit also holds special meaning for the friends, family and colleagues of Dr. Kenneth Tjeerdsma. A wellknown CVA physician who made a positive difference to hundreds of patients during his 13-year career in Siouxland, Tjeerdsma passed away unexpectedly in 2009. In honor of his positive impact on Siouxland cardiology care, staff of CVA graciously donated a gift in Tjeerdsma’s name to purchase a sophisticated nurses’ station. “CVA had a strong desire to give to a project that would directly impact the patients that Dr. Tjeerdsma was so passionate about caring for,” says Susan Unger, Vice President of Development at St. Luke’s. “Their gift to the Coronary Care Unit will enhance our staff’s care of cardiology patients for years to come.” Their gift to the Coronary Care Unit was a perfect fit with Tjeerdsma’s own healthcare philosophy adds Dr. Jon Peacock of CVA. Family members of the late Dr. Kenneth Tjeerdsma were on hand for the dedication of the Coronary Care Unit’s nurses station in his honor including (l-r) daughter Elizabeth, wife Melissa and sons Kenneth and William (not pictured is son John.) “Dr. Tjeerdsma played a key role in advancing cardiology services in Siouxland. He was committed to his patients and that dedication showed in the many lives he touched during his career. The gift to St. Luke’s Coronary Care Unit, which will help enhance the hospital’s cardiology services, was very fitting given Dr. Tjeerdsma’s strong commitment to providing quality patient care,” says Peacock.
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