Jersey Shore UMC Recognized as a Leader in Image-Guided Heart Attack Treatment

Asbury Park NJ

03 June, 2022

4:01 PM

Description

Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center has received LightLabTM Center status from Abbott, a global medical device company. LightLabTM Center status recognizes experience, self-sufficiency and leadership in optical coherence tomography (OCT) for intravascular imaging. The academic medical center achieved the status through their cardiovascular team’s adoption and demonstrated proficiency in this high-quality image-guided approach to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to diagnose and treat heart attack and coronary artery disease. OCT technology is being used at only two other New Jersey hospitals. Coronary artery disease is primarily caused by the buildup of fat deposits or plaque that constricts the arteries supplying the heart with blood. During PCI procedures, cardiologists open clogged heart arteries by placing a stent expanding and supporting the artery’s walls to improve blood flow to the heart. This reduces or eliminates patients’ symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath, and helps prevent heart attack. “For decades, PCI has predominately been guided by angiography,” said Matthew Saybolt, M.D., FACC, Structural Heart Disease Program director, Jersey Shore University Medical Center. A type of dye, visible by X-ray, is injected into coronary arteries during angiography. The X-ray machine rapidly takes a series of images, providing cardiologists a view of the artery. “This view made PCIs possible, but angiography does not give us a complete picture of what is happening in the artery, as it provides a two dimensional view of a three dimensional blood vessel.” OCT uses near-infrared light to provide high-definition images of the interior of the artery, with high precision. This is accomplished by inserting a catheter with a miniscule camera into the artery. “We are now integrating angiography and OCT imaging together,” said cardiologist Daniel Kiss, M.D. “By overlaying the images, it gives us a lot more information so we can synthesize that detail in our minds to make better clinical decisions for patients. As we see more of the composition of the artery, we can see if there is a clot, calcium buildup, and how much plaque is present, assisting us in calibrating treatments to achieve even better patient outcomes.” OCT also provides automated, accurate measurements inside arteries, helping to identify the nature of blockages and reveal lesions, to help guide stent selection, placement, and deployment. “We don’t need to make an approximation any longer, we can measure what size stent to put in, width and length, and how best to treat any vessel damage,” said Dr. Kiss. The academic medical center is one of several sites throughout the country partnering with Abbott to enhance the quality of patient outcomes utilizing OCT technology. “This is our focus; providing optimal PCI procedures, using the best stents and treatments so we have better outcomes, and are providing safe, high-quality care for all our patients,” said Renato Apolito, M.D., medical director of Cardiac Catheterization, Jersey Shore University Medical Center. For more than 10 years, Jersey Shore University Medical Center has been a leader in New Jersey in performing diagnostic and interventional cardiac procedures. “Our cardiovascular experts are committed to providing the best care and services to the community we serve, I appreciate their dedication to our patients,” said Vito Buccellato, MPA, LNHA, president and chief hospital executive, Jersey Shore University Medical Center. In 2021, the academic medical center launched a $45 million, invasive cardiovascular expansion project. “Not only are we providing our cardiovascular specialists with state-of-the-art tools to enhance care, we are creating a centralized, convenient space to improve the experiences of our patients and their loved ones,” said Kenneth N. Sable, M.D., MBA, FACEP, regional president, Southern Market, Hackensack Meridian Health. For information about Hackensack Meridian Health and Jersey Shore University Medical Center’s cardiovascular services, visit https://www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/en/Services/Heart-Care. For a free physician referral, call 844-HMH-WELL.