Maggie Sullins, 83, had no energy; unusual for a woman accustomed to mowing her three-and-a-half acres.
“I thought my mower was broken, but my son-in-law had unhooked the wires so I couldn’t use it,” laughed the Cartersville resident. “My family was worried about me mowing it myself.”
Sullins underwent open heart surgery in 2004 – three bypasses – and had some complications.
She was not happy to learn that she now needed an aortic valve replacement. Her cardiologist, George Kramer, M.D., with WellStar Cardiovascular Medicine, referred her to Richard Myung, M.D., and Amar Patel, M.D., who head the WellStar dedicated heart valve team specializing in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).
In May 2012, WellStar Kennestone Hospital became the first nonacademic facility in the state to perform this innovative, minimally invasive procedure. And according to Dr. Patel, Kennestone is the busiest nonacademic TAVR center, with 53 cases completed to date.
Who is a good candidate for TAVR?
“Folks who are considered to be inoperable or high-risk for open chest surgery for valve replacement” said Dr. Patel. “For example, those with significant co-morbidities, such as advanced lung or kidney disease, and those who are frail. Also, people who have had previous heart surgery are sometimes not good candidates for open surgery.”
Those with extensive aortic disease also could be higher risk for open surgery. Dr. Patel explained that plaque in the aorta could potentially break loose during surgery and cause complications, such as stroke.
“When a patient is referred to us, we look at the whole patient,” said Dr. Patel. “Our multi-disciplinary valve clinic meets two half-days each week and we review each case very carefully, considering the best treatment for the least risk. Our radiologists, vascular surgeons, pulmonologists, and all my other cardiology colleagues are an important part of this – it’s a group effort. With our holistic approach, we get to know the patient and consider his or her expectations.”
Sullins had the TAVR procedure on Sept. 19 and went home three days later.
“I feel better than I’ve felt in 20 years,” she said. “It was a walk in the park. My family and I are so delighted – it’s such a blessing to feel this good.”
“Don’t let your patient’s age or comorbid conditions stop you from referring him or her to us,” said Dr. Patel. “That’s old-school thinking. We can do a lot more today for complex patients.”
Without treatment, about 50 percent of severe aortic stenosis patients will not survive more than two years from the onset of symptoms. Traditional, open-heart surgery for valve replacement requires a large incision or cutting through the entire breastbone. With TAVR, a new prosthetic aortic valve is implanted by either going through a small incision in the groin or left chest, underneath a rib.
With TAVR, mortality rates are 20 percent lower and the procedure is typically 90 minutes versus four to six hours. Recovery time is shorter and infection rates are lower.
Sullins is living proof: She has already taken a trip to Las Vegas with her daughter and granddaughter, and painted half of her garage.
“I can’t finish it because I promised Dr. Patel I wouldn’t get on a ladder,” she laughed.
“I love my family and I want to be around to enjoy my three great-grandchildren as long as I can. This procedure works – jump in with both feet!”
To make a referral, contact the WellStar heart valve team at 770-793-6431.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
WellStar Kennestone Hospital Neurointerventional Suite Up and Running
WellStar Kennestone Hospital hosted an open house on Oct. 22 to celebrate the opening of its neurointerventional suite. The suite enables Kennestone to expand its neuroscience capabilities and offer one of the few comprehensive cerebrovascular neurosurgery programs in the region, offering both open vascular and endovascular procedures.
The suite features a new state-of-the-art biplane which provides three-dimensional images of the brain, enabling neurointerventional procedures. The procedures are performed by Ahmad Khaldi, M.D., and Rishi Gupta, M.D., who specialize in endovascular stroke intervention, retrieving clots in the brain vasculature and occluding ruptured intracranial aneurysms. They use the new biplane for minimally invasive, X-ray guided techniques. Dr. Khaldi also is a skull base and vascular neurosurgeon; Dr. Gupta is a neurointensivist.
“The addition of neurointerventional services at Kennestone enables us to provide the most state-of-the-art stroke care to our patients,” said William Benedict, M.D., co-chief, Neuroscience Service Line.
Kennestone has Primary Stroke Center designation; patients who need interventional procedures will no longer need to travel to other hospitals in the region.
The suite features a new state-of-the-art biplane which provides three-dimensional images of the brain, enabling neurointerventional procedures. The procedures are performed by Ahmad Khaldi, M.D., and Rishi Gupta, M.D., who specialize in endovascular stroke intervention, retrieving clots in the brain vasculature and occluding ruptured intracranial aneurysms. They use the new biplane for minimally invasive, X-ray guided techniques. Dr. Khaldi also is a skull base and vascular neurosurgeon; Dr. Gupta is a neurointensivist.
“The addition of neurointerventional services at Kennestone enables us to provide the most state-of-the-art stroke care to our patients,” said William Benedict, M.D., co-chief, Neuroscience Service Line.
Kennestone has Primary Stroke Center designation; patients who need interventional procedures will no longer need to travel to other hospitals in the region.
WellStar’s Jose Rodriguez, M.D., Named Physician of the Year by the Georgia Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics
Dr. Rodriguez is being recognized for his volunteer work with Ser Familia, a nonprofit founded in 2001 to help Latino families in the areas of family support and counseling, child abuse prevention, domestic violence prevention and crisis management.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Dr. Rodriguez earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, and medical degree from San Juan Bautista School of Medicine in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He came to Georgia in 1981 to serve a residency in pediatrics at the Medical College of Medicine in Augusta. In 1998, he completed a Master in Business Administration from Kennesaw State University.
Board certified in pediatrics, Dr. Rodriguez also holds two academic appointments in the pediatric departments of two medical schools. Since 2000, he has taught third and fourth year medical students as clinical professor at the Medical College of Georgia, and, since 2005, has taught third year medical students as adjunct associate clinical professor at Morehouse School of Medicine. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics as a District II Representative for Cobb and Douglas counties.
Dr. Rodriguez is married and has two daughters. His daughter Sandra Rodriguez-Sfeir, M.D., FAAP, is a pediatrician who also practices at WellStar Kennestone Pediatric Associates.
WellStar Connect Video – Verbal Orders
The latest WellStar
Connect video is on verbal orders. Watch the video here:
New Provider Bios
Dr. Walker earned her bachelor’s degree from Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Ala. and her medical degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, Ky. She completed her residency at the Southwest Georgia Family Medicine Residency Program in Albany, Ga.
She is a member of the Dougherty County Medical Society. Dr. Walker is in practice with WellStar West Cobb Medical Center.
Dr. Luu received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pa. and her medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. She completed her residency and her fellowship at Emory University in Atlanta.
Board certified by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery, she is a member of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Luu is in practice with WellStar Cardiovascular Surgery.
Dr. Katyal earned his medical degree from the University College of Medical Sciences at the University of Delhi in Delhi, India and his master’s degree from the School of Health Information Sciences at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. He completed his internal medicine residency at the Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, Va. and fellowship training at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, N.Y.
He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a member of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the American College of Chest Physicians. Dr. Katyal is in practice with WellStar Medical Group Pulmonary Medicine.
Dr. Michaelson received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in Gainesville and his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School in Houston. He completed his residency and his fellowship at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.
Board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Sleep Medicine, he is a member of the American Thoracic Society, the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the Pulmonary Hypertension Association and the Georgia Association of Sleep Professionals. Dr. Michaelson is in practice with WellStar Pulmonary Group.
Dr. Patel received his bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J. and his medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine in Portsmouth, Commonwealth of Dominica. He completed his interventional pulmonology fellowship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Ark. and his pulmonary/critical care medicine fellowship and residency at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ in Newark, N.J.
Board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, he is a member of the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Association of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology and the American Thoracic Society. Dr. Patel is in practice with WellStar Pulmonary Group.
Dr. Shrivastava received his medical degree from the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan, Nepal. He completed his internship and residency at Abington Memorial Hospital in Abington, Pa. and his fellowship at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, N.J.
Board certified, Dr. Shrivastava is in practice with WellStar Medical Group Pulmonary Medicine.
Dr. Saberi earned his medical degree at the LTM Medical College of Bombay University in Bombay, India. He completed his residency at the Buffalo Medical-Dental Consortium Internal Medicine Program at the State University of New York in Buffalo, N.Y. and his fellowship at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, UT.
Board certified, he is a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and a member of the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the American Thoracic Society and the American College of Physician Executives. Dr. Saberi is in practice with WellStar Medical Group Pulmonary Medicine.
Jason S. Oh, M.D.Dr. Oh graduated summa cum laude with his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in Gainesville and earned his medical degree from the Loma Linda University School of Medicine in Loma Linda, Calif. He completed his residency and fellowship at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, Md.
He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a member of the American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Society of academic Emergency Medicine, the American academy of Emergency Medicine, the Emergency Medicine Residents Association and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Oh is in practice with WellStar Medial Group Pulmonary Medicine.
Dr. Hixon received her bachelor’s degree from Emory University in Altanta and her medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. She completed her residency at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. and her fellowship at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, UT.
Board certified, she is a member of the American Medical Association, the American Thoracic Society and the American College of Chest Physicians. Dr. Hixon is in practice with WellStar Medical Group Pulmonary Medicine.
Dr. Rahman earned his bachelor degrees at King Edward Medical College in Lahore, Pakistan and his medical degree at the Faculty of Sciences at Government College in Lahore, Pakistan. He completed his residency at West Virginia University Hospital in Morgantown, W. Va. and his internship at the Mayo Hospital in Lahore, Pakistan.
Board certified, he is a member of the American College of Chest Physicians. Dr. Rahman is in practice with WellStar Medical Group Pulmonary Medicine.
Dr. Bhatnagar earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pa. and his medical degree from Des Moines Medical University in Des Moines, IA. He completed his internship at West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pa. and his fellowships at Allegheny General Hospital and University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh.
Board certified, he is a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians. Dr. Bhatnagar is in practice with WellStar Medical Group Pulmonary Medicine.
November 2013 CME Events
- Cancer Conference (TB)-KH: November 18, 25; 7 a.m.; Azalea/Camellia Room; WellStar Kennestone Hospital
- Cancer Conference (TB)-CH: November 13, 20, 27; noon; Wisteria/Jasmine Room; WellStar Cobb Hospital
- Breast Cancer Tumor Board-KH: November 20, 27; 7 a.m.; STAT Clinic; WellStar Kennestone Hospital
- Thoracic Clinic Kennestone-KH: November 13, 20, 27; 5 p.m.; STAT Clinic; WellStar Kennestone Hospital
- Thoracic Clinic Cobb-CH: November 13, 20, 27; 5 p.m.; STAT Clinic; WellStar Cobb Hospital
- GI Tumor Board Kennestone-KH: November 13, 20, 27; 7 a.m.; Azalea/Camellia Room; WellStar Kennestone Hospital
- Cardiology Case Conference: November 26; 7 a.m.; Kennesaw Mountain Room; WellStar Kennestone Hospital
- Anesthesia M&M: November 20; 7 a.m.; Anesthesia Conf. Room; WellStar Kennestone Hospital
November 2013 Department Meetings
WellStar Cobb Hospital
WellStar Douglas Hospital
WellStar Kennestone Hospital
WellStar Paulding Hospital
WellStar Windy Hill Hospital
Committee/Dept. |
Date & Time |
Place |
| Medical Executive Committee | Nov. 19; noon | Jasmine/Wisteria Room |
WellStar Douglas Hospital
Committee/Dept. |
Date & Time |
Place |
| Medical Executive Committee | Nov. 12; noon | Sycamore Room |
WellStar Kennestone Hospital
Committee/Dept. |
Date & Time |
Place |
| Medical Executive Committee | Nov. 12; 6 p.m. | KMR |
| OB/GYN | Nov. 18; 5:30 p.m. | Azalea/Camellia Room |
| Surgery | Nov. 20; 7 a.m. | Auditorium |
WellStar Paulding Hospital
| Committee/Dept. | Date & Time | Place |
| Medical Executive Committee | Nov. 14; 12:30 p.m. | Dogwood Room |
WellStar Windy Hill Hospital
Committee/Dept. |
Date & Time |
Place |
| Medical Executive Committee | Nov. 13; 5:15 p.m. | Admin. Conf. Room |
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