Methodist Hospital Metropolitan has recently performed their 500th Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO) procedure, which is considered the most complex Percutaneous Coronary Intervention procedure. The hospital celebrates this achievement as the only hospital in South Texas to have performed this many CTO procedures.
This procedure is typically a patient's last hope when they are not a candidate for open-heart surgery. A non-surgical procedure, CTOs are performed when a patient has a complete or nearly complete blockage of one or more of their coronary arteries, which can lead to a heart attack. The blockage, typically present for at least three months, is caused by plaque buildup within a coronary artery. When this happens, blood flow to the heart is compromised.
Patients suffering from CTO typically experience chest discomfort (pain, pressure, or tightness), dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, upper body or arm pain, rapid or irregular heartbeat, and more. A CTO procedure involves tiny wires (catheters) entering the body through a vessel, typically near the groin or wrist. This minimally invasive procedure allows interventional cardiologists to approach and remove the blockages.
"This complex procedure is the best option for patients who are not open-heart surgery candidates. Many people have given up any hope of returning to a more normal lifestyle. Still, we can provide this procedure which will provide them with a better quality of life," said Hinh Keith D. Nguyen, M.D., who serves as the Medical Director of the hospital's Cardiac Cath Lab.
Many are denied the procedure due to the lack of expertise at most hospitals. Thankfully, the team of expert physicians at Methodist Hospital Metropolitan can perform this procedure and achieve exceptional patient outcomes, improving their quality of life. For patients with complex CTO, the hospital has the specialized expertise and the technology necessary to treat high-complexity patients – even those with three or four-vessel disease.
The hospital's newly renovated and state-of-the-art Cardiac Catheterization lab offers a complete array of interventional technology, which enables their specialists to employ the optimal approach for each patient's specific case.
Additionally, Methodist Hospital Metropolitan is an Accredited Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI by the American College of Cardiology and is an Accredited Heart Failure Hospital. Both accreditations represent their long-standing commitment to excellence in cardiovascular medicine.
Learn more about cardiovascular services at Methodist Hospital Metropolitan