The Woodlands

December 06, 2006

St. Luke's becomes first hospital in area to perform
endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair procedure

Cutting-edge technology in St. Luke’s Community Medical Center – The Woodlands’
Heart Cath Lab allows less invasive repair of risky artery condition.

        St. Luke's Community Medical Center (CMC) – The Woodlands has recently become the first hospital in The Woodlands area to perform a new endovascular technique to repair an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

            An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a blood-filled bulge in the main artery stemming from the heart. Much like an over-inflated inner tube, the bulge can burst and lead to death at any time.

            Traditional treatment procedures to repair the aneurysm requires major surgery to open the abdomen in order to access the main trunk of the arteries, and this technique involves clamping off parts of the aorta, which carries risk of paralysis.

            But through the new endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair procedure, the St. Luke’s CMC team of cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons are able access the main artery through the groin, and adhere an anatomically customized graft-like material to repair the aneurysm from the inside of the vein wall.

            This new technological procedure is performed in St. Luke’s CMC – The Woodlands’ heart catheterization lab with the assistance of high-quality, high-tech x-ray guided imagery.

            With this minimally-invasive procedure, the patient requires only local anesthesia and sedation, rather than general anesthesia with traditional surgery, and therefore is up and walking around, and discharged home within 24 hours instead of a one-week hospital stay that would usually involve the intensive care unit.

            The endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair was performed by St. Luke’s CMC – The Woodlands’ cardiologist Bruce S. Lachterman, M.D. along with cardiovascular surgeon Mark M. Mettauer, M.D.

            “This is certainly a great procedure for patients who are eligible to receive it, and we are excited to be able to perform this advanced technique right here in our cath lab, as opposed to the operating room,” explained Dr. Mettauer. “St. Luke’s has taken a proactive approach through the arrangement of high-technology facilities in The Woodlands, which is a great asset for patients in the area to have this type of advanced medical capabilities close to home.”

            Dr. Lachterman and Dr. Mettauer both have extensive experience in the advanced repair procedure.

            Dr. Lachterman added, “We are thrilled to now provide non-invasive cardiology services through such cutting-edge technology right here in Montgomery County and therefore closer to home for our patients who live in the area.”

            As the newest hospital in The Woodlands area, St. Luke’s CMC – The Woodlands is equipped with the most up-to-date facilities and offers a comprehensive heart program, including diagnosis, treatment, diagnostic and interventional cardiology and cardiovascular surgery. Physicians are community-based, board-certified cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons.

            Debra Sukin, CEO of St. Luke’s CMC – The Woodlands, said, “Thanks to our premier heart team, St. Luke’s is able to deliver the highest standard of heart care services. As a quality-driven community hospital, I believe we are leading the way in providing the most innovative treatments and procedures that are expected by the patients in our surrounding area.”

            St. Luke’s CMC – The Woodlands is located at 17200 St. Luke’s Way in The Woodlands, at the southwest corner of SH 242 and I-45. For more information about St. Luke’s CMC – The Woodlands, please call (936) 266-2000 or visit www.stlukeswoodlands.com.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System comprises the flagship St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, founded in 1954 by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas; St. Luke’s Community Medical Center–The Woodlands, opened in 2003; St. Luke’s Episcopal Health Charities, a charity devoted to assessing and enhancing community health, especially among the underserved; and Kelsey-Seybold Management, LLP, overseeing 21 area clinic locations. St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital is home to the Texas Heart® Institute, founded in 1962 by Denton A. Cooley, MD, and consistently ranked among the top 10 cardiology and heart surgery centers in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Affiliated with several nursing schools and two medical schools, St. Luke’s serves as the primary private adult teaching hospital for Baylor College of Medicine. St. Luke’s was the first hospital in Texas named a Magnet hospital for nursing excellence, and the Health System has been recognized by FORTUNE as among “100 Best Companies to Work For” (2002, 2004 and 2005) and by Houston Business Journal as a top employer in Houston for three consecutive years.