Newswise — ORLANDO, Fla. (January 28, 2014) --- Instead of making a chest incision for open heart surgery, cardiovascular surgeons can now use a new vacuum-like tool to remove potentially deadly, large clots that lodge in patients’ hearts. Orlando Health Heart Institute is the first in Central Florida to offer the advanced technology. Jeffrey Bott, MD, who practices at the Heart Institute, performed the procedure in January.
The clot removal system, AngioVac, by AngioDynamics, includes a small tube that is inserted in the neck and/or groin to access the blood vessels with the clot. The end of the tube has a funnel shaped tip with an expandable balloon that vacuums out the clot and traps it in a container. Once the clot is removed the blood is filtered before it is returned to the patient’s body.
Less invasive than traditional open heart surgery, AngioVac is considered game changing technology in removing dangerous blood clots.
“This technology allows us to aggressively and safely remove large clots without open heart surgery, which means there is no large incision, there is less pain, and a faster recovery for patients,” said Dr. Bott, who practices at the Heart Institute’s Orlando Health Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery practice, and serves as the chair, Thoracic Surgery at Orlando Regional Medical Center.
Before AngioVac, treatment for some patients may have included more invasive open heart surgery to remove the clots, while others may have been treated with medications like blood thinners.
“Removing a blood clot is critical,” said Dr. Bott. “Blood clots can break off, travel through the blood stream, and block blood flow to the lungs or other vital organs. The end result can be fatal.”
A blood clot can form in, or travel to, the veins or arteries in the heart, lung, brain, kidneys and limbs. A clot can block or limit blood flow, causing damage to the body’s organs, or other serious medical problems, and even death.
Signs and symptoms vary depending on where the clot forms. For example, a blood clot in the heart or lungs may cause shortness of breath or chest pain. A blood clot in the deep veins of the leg may cause pain and swelling in the lower leg.
A blood clot can form for various reasons including infection, certain blood disorders, cancer and other conditions. ###
About Orlando HealthOrlando Health is a $1.9 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of physician practices, hospitals and care centers throughout Central Florida. Physician Associates, one of the largest multi-specialty practices in central Florida, consisting of more than 90 physicians in more than 20 locations, became a member of the Orlando Health family in January, 2013.
The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; Health Central Hospital, South Lake Hospital (50 percent affiliation); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent affiliation), MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston; and the Arnold Palmer Medical Center, which consists of Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and women’s health.
Orlando Health is one of Central Florida’s largest employers with nearly 16,000 employees and more than 2,500 affiliated physicians supporting our philosophy of providing high quality care and service that revolves around patients’ needs. We prove this everyday with over 110,000 inpatient admissions and nearly 690,000 outpatient visits each year. In all, Orlando Health serves 1.6 million Central Florida residents and nearly 3,000 international patients annually. Additionally, Orlando Health provides approximately $239 million in support of community health needs. More information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.
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