Aspirus Heart & Vascular Institute First in Wisconsin to Implant Coapsys Heart Device
Wausau, Wis. (PRWEB) May 5, 2008 -- Aspirus Heart & Vascular Institute (http://www.aspirus.org/ourServices/index.cfm?catID=1&subCatID=7&pageID=7) surgeon Fernando A. Riveron, M.D. has successfully implanted the first Coapsys® device in Wisconsin.
Aspirus (http://www.aspirus.org) joins 21 other sites nationwide - including New York University Medical Center, Duke University Medical Center and the Cleveland Clinic - in evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the Myocor® Coapsys System (http://www.myocor.com/index.php) through an FDA research study and clinical trial. The new device is intended to reduce the amount of improper blood flow in the heart, improve cardiac function and potentially reduce the cost of heart care for a growing number of people suffering with valve problems.
'Mitral valve insufficiency or mitral regurgitation is a condition in which the mitral valve does not adequately close, resulting in the blood flowing backward,' Dr. Riveron (http://www.aspirus.org/hospitalsClinics/index.cfm?catid=2&subcatID=16&pageid=234&docID=10) said. 'This backward flow causes the heart to work harder, and can result in shortness of breath, decreased energy, generalized weakness and fluid retention.'
Mitral regurgitation is an increasingly common health concern. According to the National Library of Medicine, some degree of mitral regurgitation is found in almost 20 percent of men and women who have an echocardiogram after the age of 55. Valve repair or replacement surgery often can help, but it fails to address the root cause of the problem the way researchers hope the implant can.
The implant procedure involves the placement of two pads that sit on the surface of the heart with a cord passing between them and through the left ventricle. Surgeons draw the pads together in tiny increments, which reshapes the left ventricle and improves heart function. The procedure is less invasive than traditional open-heart surgery because it doesn't require doctors to stop the heart or use large incisions.
"The option to repair the valve (http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4598) without having to open the heart or use cardiopulmonary bypass may be very beneficial to these patients," Dr. Riveron said.
His first patient, an 80-year-old man from Wisconsin Rapids, viewed the procedure as an opportunity to help others and as a new chance for improving the quality of his life when other treatment options weren't favorable.
The research study, RESTOR-MV (Randomized Evaluation of a Surgical Treatment for Off-pump Repair for the Mitral Valve), is a prospective, randomized clinical trial that will include up to 250 patients. Aspirus is a participant because it has a high quality research program (http://www.aspirus.org/ourServices/index.cfm?catID=1&subCatID=7&pageID=79) and has surgeons experienced in performing valve and beating-heart procedures (http://www.aspirus.org/ourServices/index.cfm?catID=1&subCatID=7&pageID=73).
The AHVI is located at Aspirus Wausau Hospital, a 2008 HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence ranking in the top 5 percent in the nation for overall clinical quality. It is the fifth consecutive year Aspirus has made the list, the only hospital in Wisconsin - and one of just 63 in the nation - with that distinction.
According to the Tenth Annual HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America Study issued in fall 2007, Aspirus Wausau Hospital ranks No. 1 in Wisconsin for overall cardiac services and vascular surgery. The study, the largest of its kind, analyzed patient outcomes at virtually all of the nation's 5,000 hospitals.
About Aspirus
Aspirus is a non-profit, community-directed health system based in Wausau, Wis. With more than 3,900 employees, Aspirus serves people in 14 Wisconsin counties and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan through an affiliated hospital and physician network; home health and hospice care; skilled nursing homes; pharmacies; critical care and helicopter transport services; durable medical goods; a large volunteer corps; a philanthropic and research foundation; and an extensive clinics network.
Contacts:
Andy Napgezek, Communications/Public Relations Manager
Aspirus Wausau Hospital
715-847-2194
Greg Aune, Media/Communications Specialist
Aspirus Wausau Hospital
715-847-0479
###
Related Themes:
Related Websites
Know your heart and its disease.
There are a variety of ailments related to the heart and providing information on all the types of cardio vascular disease could be quite a task. Yet a look at conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels can give you a broad view of cardiovascular disease.
Heart Healthy
"Open your heart to me, my own," whispers Grandmother Growth so softly you aren't certain you hear her. "Open the wisdom way of compassion here in your heart and draw me inside.
Primary Certificate in Vascular Surgery is Watered Down, Says Head of International Vascular Surgery Body
Sir Peter R.F. Bell, MD, President of the International Society for Vascular Surgery (ISVS), delivered a powerful and poignant speech today at the 33rd annual VEITHsymposium, a premier global Vascular Surgery conference, regarding the primary certificate for Vascular Surgery.
Is There a Best Way To Do Cardio?
Ah, Cardio. One of the most reviled forms of working out, but one of my favorite. There’s a lot of confusion and mystery surrounding cardio. What is “cardio”? Well, the word cardio refers to your cardiovascular system so really anything that gets your heart rate up and gets you breathing heavier can be considered a cardio workout.
Real Time Vascular Fluorescence is the Biggest Advance in Intra-Operative Vascular Neurosurgery in Years
Leica Microsystems has received an FDA 510(k) clearance for the Leica FL800, an intra-operative video angiography device for the viewing of blood flow in the cerebral vascular area using Akorn ICG. This is the only FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) clearance for video angiography in the cerebral vascular area using ICG (IndoCyanine Green) as a fluorescent agent.
African-American Heart Attack Survivors Cite Experience as a "Wake-Up Call" to Address Health and Life Issues
National Medical Association Survey of Heart Attack Survivors uncovers emotional impact, educational needs and disparity among racial groups.
Life Line Screening Joins the Vascular Disease Foundation as Corporate Partner
The Vascular Disease Foundation has a new partner and sponsor in Life Line Screening. The two companies aim to further educate the population about vascular disease and vascular testing services like abdominal aortic aneurysm (http://www.lifelinescreening.com/health-screening-services/abdominal-aortic-aneurysm.aspx) and peripheral arterial disease screening (http://www.lifelinescreening.com/health-screening-services/peripheral-arterial-disease.aspx). Life Line Screening will distribute the foundation’s educational publications and provide online registration so that its customers can easily donate money to the foundation. ...
