In the News

Valley Baptist - Brownsville Upgrades Cardiac Catheterization Lab; Passes 10K Mark in Catheterization Procedures

BROWNSVILLE - There’s a lot happening at the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville, which has surpassed its 10,000th cardiac catheterization procedure and is upgrading one of its cath labs and installing new equipment to enhance care for Lower Valley patients.

Dr. Robert Jeffery Lootens, Medical Director for Cardiology at VBMC-Brownsville, performed the Brownsville hospital’s 10,000th cardiac catheterization procedure Jan. 24, 2005. The Brownsville hospital has been performing cardiac cath procedures since 1988, and the volume has increased dramatically over the years.

The second cath lab room is being renovated into a new state-of-the-art Cardiac and Peripheral Combo Lab. This room will be used for cath lab procedures involving blood vessels outside the heart area, such as those involving the renal (kidneys) area, legs, arm grafts, etc. The G.E. Combo Room will also be used by Dr. Mark Cua for electrophysiological studies.

“We have a full-service line,” said Shane Russell, RN, Director of Cardiac Services for VBMC-Brownsville. “We recently acquired ‘Silverhawk’ catheters for removal of plaque within peripheral arteries by rotational athrectomy. This allows us to cut the plaque out more efficiently.”

Mr. Russell described how the small pieces of fat and cholesterol look like little strands of spaghetti, once the plaque is cut out of the arteries and taken out of the patient’s body through the catheter, which resembles a thin, hollow tube.

In addition, VBMC-Brownsville’s Cath Lab is adding the “Spectranetics” Excimer Laser, which ablates or vaporizes blockages in the blood vessels. Bill Robertson, LVN, CVT, with the Cath Lab, said the laser “burns out” the plaque, removing the problem.

Tony Ashley, RN, of the Cath Lab, said the laser can be used in both coronary and peripheral blood vessels, adding another tool to the physicians’ choice of treatment. The new devices will be of particular benefit to diabetic patients, since diabetes is such a contributing factor to heart disease in the Valley. “The inner lining of the blood vessels is more irritated in diabetes patients,” Mr. Ashley said.

Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to amputations of the feet or legs. Amputation of a foot or leg diminishes a person’s mobility and lifestyle. Many limb amputations could be prevented in the Valley and throughout the United States through better management and care of diabetes.