Cardiology at Methodist Hospital Stone Oak

Methodist Hospital Stone Oak’s comprehensive cardiovascular program is equipped with a highly dedicated team of experienced cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons. The robust program, which is part of the Methodist Heart network, is proudly accredited by the American College of Cardiology as a Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI. Methodist Heart Stone Oak is recognized for its exponential growth in electrophysiology services, patent foramen ovale (PFO) and atrial septal defect (ASD) closure devices.

Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak Complex Coronary Intervention Center offers a full spectrum of cardiovascular services to diagnose and treat complex coronary artery disease and chronic total occlusion (CTO). The experienced surgeons are specially trained in complex cardiovascular surgery and offer both traditional and minimally invasive options for coronary artery disease in South Texas.

Cardiovascular conditions we treat

Methodist Heart Stone Oak offers a full spectrum of cardiovascular services that diagnose and treat the following conditions:

• Aortic Aneurysm
• Heart Arrhythmia
• Heart Disease
• Heart Failure
• Pulmonary Disease
• Valve Disease
• Vascular Disease

Cardiovascular services we offer

We are proud to offer innovative and advanced cardiovascular treatments, including:

General Cardiology

• Non-Invasive Cardiology - Cardiac Imaging and Testing: Includes Echocardiography, Cardiac Nuclear and Cardiac CT /MRI imaging.
• Cath/Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) - procedure for opening a coronary artery blockage or narrowing opens the artery or arteries so that blood can flow normally most often done through balloons and stents.
• Complex PCI – more complex PCI procedures using advanced techniques such as laser and rotational atherectomy, Intravascular ultrasound and fractional flow reserve.
• Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO) – CTO is a complete or nearly complete blockage of one or more coronary arteries. Treatment options were limited to medication or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Our Complex PCI team specializes in Innovative and advanced minimally invasive methods of treating CTO.
• Comprehensive Electrophysiology (EP) offers cutting-edge treatments for arrhythmias and other potentially serious disorders affecting the heart's rhythm.
• Cardiac Device Implantation
• Structural Heart Program: Our Multidisciplinary team specializes in minimally invasive treatments which include Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) and Atrial Septal defect (ASD) closure devices.
• Cardio-Thoracic Surgery
• Open Heart
• Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
• Valve Replacements
• Vascular Intervention and Surgery
• Cardiovascular Research

What is coronary artery disease?

Coronary artery disease (CAD) happens when plaque builds up on the inner walls of your coronary arteries. This causes your arteries to harden and narrow, which decreases blood flow to your heart. As a result, your heart doesn’t get the blood, oxygen and nutrients it needs, which can lead to chest pain or other symptoms, in some cases, a heart attack.

Chronic total occlusion

A life-saving revascularization procedure is performed when a patient has a complete or nearly complete blockage of one or more of their coronary arteries. Blockages are caused by plaque and cholesterol deposit buildup within a coronary artery, which causes the narrowing of the arteries. When this happens, blood and oxygen flow to the heart is compromised and can increase the risk of heart attack. The procedure allows physicians to insert tiny wires (catheters) into the body through a vessel near the groin or wrist.

CTO allows our highly skilled interventional cardiologists at Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak to approach and open the blockages. This minimally invasive procedure is an alternative therapy for patients who do not qualify for open heart surgery.

Signs you may need CTO

CTO develops over time. When you have CTO, you may not notice the problem because blood is still reaching the blocked part of the heart through new tiny vessels the heart forms in response to the CTO. For many patients, symptoms only show up during exercise or exertion. These symptoms include:

• Chest pain
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Decreased ability to exercise

Candidates for CTO

Patients who have previously been told their blockage is too complex to treat, are on medication and still experiencing symptoms, or may have previously been rejected for heart bypass surgery. Now there are solutions for people with the most complex coronary artery disease, even if a doctor previously said nothing could be done besides medication.

For more information about CTO, call the Methodist Hospital | Stone Oak Complex Coronary Intervention Center at (210) 638-2242.

Patient testimonials

Arriving for cardiovascular appointments

Patients arriving for cardiovascular care can use our main entrance. Pull into the hospital from East Sonterra Boulevard, and head inside to check-in. Follow the signs to your department, or go to the information desk if you need help or have any questions.

Parking at Methodist Hospital Stone Oak is free. We also offer valet services for $8 per visit or $12 for unlimited visits throughout the day.