May 02, 2011

Avera Heart Hospital Fourth in Nation to Use New Medical Device

Sioux Falls, SD-Dr. Bruce Watt, a cardiologist with North Central Heart Institute, is the first in North and South Dakota, and the fourth in the nation to use a new minimally invasive treatment for a dangerous blockage in the coronary artery. This new medical device was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Developed by Boston Scientific, the ION™ Paclitaxel-Eluting Platinum Chromium Coronary Stent System incorporates a unique platinum chromium (PtCr) alloy designed specifically for coronary stenting and intended to improve the acute performance of coronary stent implantation.  This is the company's third-generation drug-eluting stent technology.  

“Technology has revolutionized the field of coronary interventions.  We are now able to do with thin wires and stents what only open surgery could accomplish in the past.  We are excited to be a leader in utilizing these new treatment options for our patients,” said Dr. Watt.

Avera Heart Hospital’s coronary intervention team recently conducted their first procedure using with the new device. The procedure is performed through a small incision near the groin by inserting a delivery catheter which is threaded up through the patient’s blood vessels to the heart. The stent is collapsed to a small diameter and put over a balloon catheter. It's then moved into the area of the blockage. When the balloon is inflated, the stent expands, locks in place and forms a scaffold to hold the artery open. The stent stays in the artery permanently, holds it open, improves blood flow to the heart muscle.  The lining of the artery will grow over the surface of the stent.

The ION Stent System features an innovative PtCr alloy and new stent design to offer greater strength, enhanced deliverability and exceptional visibility.  The thin-strut stent is designed for improved conformability, minimal recoil, and uniform lesion coverage and drug distribution.  The advanced low-profile delivery system facilitates precise delivery of the stent across challenging lesions.

The Avera Heart Hospital of South Dakota is the region's first and only hospital dedicated solely to the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. By focusing on the nation's number one killer, patients receive the benefits of advanced technology and personalized services focused on their individual needs. The hospital is a cooperative venture between Avera McKennan and North Central Heart Institute.