Norris Taylor, a Franciscan man, began experiencing chest pain and shortness of breath while visiting his daughter. After arriving by ambulance at Franciscan Health Dyer, tests revealed Norris had a 70 percent blockage in his left coronary artery, as well as a 99 percent blockage in his left circumflex vein, which supplies nutrition to the back of the heart.
The medical team at Franciscan Health Dyer performed a balloon pump procedure to temporarily revive him until he could be transferred to Franciscan Health Crown Point for a heart procedure. The team met and decided that due to multiple risk factors, open-heart surgery would not be right for Trailer, said Michael Nicholas, DO, an interventional cardiologist at Franciscan Physician Network Cardiology Dyer.
Due to the lack of open heart surgery, his heart surgery was done in a different way. In February 2021, the Shockwave C2 catheter was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which uses sound waves to break up severe blockages in the coronary arteries. The minimally invasive procedure is called coronary intravascular lithotripsy.
How are sound waves used during heart surgery?
Franciscan is always looking for ways to bring new cutting edge technology to its patients. In this case lithotripsy was being used. Dr. Nicholas says that sound waves have been used in this procedure. Sound waves pass through the cells comfortably without damaging the artery or veins. When the blockage gradually starts reducing, a stent is placed inside the artery. To avoid any problem while placing the stent, medicine is used so that the blockage of the artery is removed.
The shockwave is delivered through the C2 catheter to the heart
This process is highly effective and requires only a small incision in the patient’s groin through which the Shockwave C2 catheter is passed to the heart. In some cases, this can be an outpatient procedure and is a much safer alternative to major open-heart surgery, with a low risk of complications, says Dr. Nicholas.
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