As the volume of ablation cases – and electrophysiology cases overall – has increased at Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital – Plano so has the hospital’s reputation as a leader for quality outcomes in the field. Since the hospital opened in 2007, ablation case volumes have gone from just over 300 a year to more than 1,000.
Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) is performed using arteries and saphenous veins from patients to bypass blocked arteries in the heart. Over 400,000 are performed in the US annually. It is shown to be effective to prolong life and decrease angina. One disadvantage of the use of saphenous vein grafts in CABG procedures is the risk of decrease flow in the vein due to neointimal hyperplasia that could lead to graft failure. To address this issue, a new clinical trial is investigating the use of the VEST device – an external metal sleeve used around the vein graft – that could potentially improve the long-term patency of these common grafts.
To reduce the risk of stroke, the WATCHMAN™ left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) device has provided an additional option for some patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation who are not good candidates for long-term anticoagulation therapy. Now, studies are underway to investigate the effectiveness of this device in a wider patient pool.
Each year in the United States, approximately 600,000 people have a pulmonary embolism, with an estimated 50,000 to 200,000 dying from the condition. Because of the high mortality rate associated with massive and sub-massive pulmonary embolism, identification and early intervention are critical. Yet, this common condition remains underdiagnosed and undertreated.
