1 week Ago
SANTA CRUZ — Surgeons at a hospital in Santa Cruz have successfully performed a cutting-edge heart treatment surgery they say marks a major advancement in heart failure interventions.Vascular surgeon Dr. Ruby Lo and a team of clinicians at Dignity Health Dominican Hospital have effectively completed the first Barostim implant in the Central Coast region.
The small device offers an alternative to patients who have been unable to get relief through medications alone.According to a release from Dignity Health, the device treats a patient with heart failure by using the body’s nervous system to send signals to the brain to improve heart function. It does so by electrically stimulating sensors within the wall of the carotid artery, known as baroreceptors, that dictate how the nervous system regulates heart, kidney and vascular function.
This results in a reduced workload for the ailing heart, in turn helping it pump more efficiently while restoring balance to the nervous system and improving symptoms of heart failure. If that wasn’t enough, the device also stands out from other heart treatments in that the procedure contains no hardware.“It’s exciting to be part of an innovative approach that not only enhances heart function but also improves overall well-being,” said Lo in the release.
“Seeing patients regain their quality of life is what truly makes this advancement so meaningful.”Dominican has a nationally recognized heart and vascular program that offers the most comprehensive cardiac services in the Monterey Bay region and is the only cardiac emergency hospital in Santa Cruz County, according to the release. The hospital can offer everything from routine checkups, lifesaving procedures, advanced diagnostics, innovative treatment options and rehabilitation services.
“This achievement is a testament to the expertise and dedication of our medical team, and a reflection of our unwavering mission to provide the best possible care for the communities and patients we serve,” Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz, president of Dominican Hospital, added in the release.Heart failure is a chronic, progressive condition where the heart muscle cannot pump sufficient blood to meet the body’s needs for blood and oxygen.
The Journal of Cardiac Failure reported that the condition affects about 6.7 million adults, with that total expected to rise to 8.7 million within five years.
Heart failure is associated with a four-fold increased risk of death and six to nine times higher risk of sudden cardiac death, according to Dignity.Dominican was the first California hospital south of Sacramento to perform the implant procedure, a Dignity spokesperson told the Sentinel. It’s sister hospital, Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, became the first in California when it performed the procedure last November.
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