Volume 17 - Issue 9 - September, 2009
The Society of Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals Revised Position Statement (Full title below)
- Mon, 9/14/09 - 4:48pm
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The Society of Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals (SICP) maintains that all invasive cardiovascular professionals should demonstrate knowledge and competence through education and certification in advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) and achievement of the invasive cardiovascular credentials Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS). The RCIS credential offered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) has been recognized as the cardiac catheterization laboratory credential of choice by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and by the Society for Cardiovascular
Re: Cardiovascular Physician Extenders
- Tue, 9/15/09 - 10:28am
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I am someone currently embarking on the CVT/Physician Extender career path. I was military trained as a cardiovascular specialist and I have my hands in both echo and the cath lab, which includes EP and pacemaker insertion.
Upon my exiting of the military and re-joining civilian life, I have been extremely dissatisfied with the lack of the opportunity for me to perform both tasks, as I love both. My peers and physicians alike have been encouraging a physician’s assistant (PA) path for me and I have been very receptive to this idea, but my only catch is that I want cardiology only. I do
Geisinger Medical Center
- Mon, 9/14/09 - 11:50am
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Geisinger Medical Center is a 410-bed, level 1 trauma center in central Pennsylvania. We have been designated as an Accredited Chest Pain Center with PCI by the Society of Chest Pain Centers and have been voted, for the 4th time, one of the nation’s top 100 cardiovascular hospitals by Thomson Reuters. We recently obtained Magnet designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Our hospital was founded in 1915 and is one of the largest rural healthcare facilities in the United States. Our care spans through 40 counties, reaching 2.5 million residents of central and northeast Pennsylva
What Do You Think?
- Tue, 9/15/09 - 10:41am
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Multiple new and ongoing questions from readers. Your responses are welcome!
Answer or pose a question at cathlabdigest@aol.com
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Time-Out Information
At LaPorte Hospital cath lab, we perform a “time-out” at the beginning of every case. Patient information includes: patient name, DOB, MR#, procedure being performed, and physician performing the procedure. Is this enough information for time-out or is there additional information that needs to be stated? Should we also be addressing if antibiotics were administered or fluids for irrigatio
The FAME Trial: Measuring FFR Leads to Better Outcomes and Fewer Stents
- Mon, 9/14/09 - 12:28pm
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Could FAME lead the way for PCI to show superiority over medical therapy and CABG for multivessel coronary artery disease?
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What were the results of the FAME (Fractional Flow Reserve versus Angiography for Guiding PCI in Patients with Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease) trial1?
The FAME study was a large, multicenter, prospective, international study, randomizing patients with multivessel coronary artery disease to two different strategies to decide which lesions to stent. One strategy was based on the current, most common method, which is u
Clinical and Industry News
- Tue, 9/15/09 - 10:46am
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Vascular Solutions Launches the Gopher™ Gold Catheter
Vascular Solutions, Inc. announces the availability of the Gopher™ Gold catheter, a support catheter with a twist for treating coronary and peripheral stenoses. A new and improved design of the original Gopher, the Gopher Gold is designed for use when treating coronary and peripheral stenoses over an existing in-place 0.014” guidewire. The Gopher Gold catheter combines a highly torqueable, braided backbone with a 3F, highly radiopaque gold-plated distal tip, resulting in a catheter that can pull itself across a stenoses wh
Can Coronary Catheter Angiography Accurately Diagnose Dangerous Coronary Artery Anomalies?
- Mon, 9/14/09 - 12:39pm
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In a recent article in Cath Lab Digest, Cooper1 reported a “typical case” of a patient with unstable, recent-onset angina, who had a “high-risk” coronary artery anomaly (CAA) that the author deemed to “require surgical treatment.” He stated that the best treatment for this condition was coronary bypass surgery and proximal ligation of the anomalous artery, which were indeed carried out.
After reviewing the coronary catheter angiographic images and computerized axial tomographic angiographic (CTA) images that nicely illustrate Cooper’s article, I have concluded that even the
Personnel Announcements
- Tue, 9/15/09 - 11:45am
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Congratulations!
The North Shore Medical Center (Salem, MA) cardiac cath-EP lab clinical staff are demonstrating their commitment to lifelong learning and excellence in patient care. We congratulate three of our cath lab staff:
• Matthew Manuppelli, RT(R), CI, RCIS for successfully passing the Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist exam offered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International;
• Melinda Lyon, RCIS, RDCS(AE), RCES for successfully passing the Registered Cardiac Electrophysiology Specialist exam offered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International;
•
Use of Temporary Percutaneous Left Ventricular Support in a Patient with Profound Cardiogenic Shock (Full title below)
- Mon, 9/14/09 - 12:51pm
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Use of Temporary Percutaneous Left Ventricular Support in a
Patient with Profound Cardiogenic Shock from a Non-Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
Summary
We report a case involving a 61-year-old man who presented with profound cardiogenic shock secondary to a non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. The use of temporary percutaneous left ventricular support with the Abiomed Impella 2.5 circulatory support device restored acceptable hemodynamics, improved cardiac output, reduced left ventricular wall tension, and improved myocardial perfusion, allowing left ventricular recovery over the ensuing
Testing for Clopidogrel Non-Responsiveness in the PCI Patient
- Mon, 9/14/09 - 2:13pm
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What does “platelet resistance” mean?
A better term to use would be clopidogrel non-responsiveness, or, even more specifically, high platelet reactivity while on clopidogrel (Plavix) therapy. Clopidogrel exerts its anti-platelet effect by blocking the platelet P2Y12 receptor. In the body, ADP binds this receptor (i.e., is an agonist), resulting in platelet activation and aggregation. “On-treatment reactivity” refers to the strength of the platelets’ response when exposed to ADP while on clopidogrel therapy. Classically, we can measure this ex vivo, or outside the body, by d
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