Innovation in medicine at Altru

By

At Altru Health System, we are investing in innovation and cutting-edge technology to best serve our patients. Three of our leading physicians are describing how Altru champions new technology in care for cancer, orthopedics and sports medicine, and heart and vascular services. We want to keep our community up to date on the latest and greatest accomplishments.

Innovation in medicine: Altru Cancer Center

Dr. Grant Seeger

Altru Cancer Center has been on the cutting edge of cancer treatment for many years. In 2009, we revolutionized the way we treat tumors with radiation. Our TomoTherapy allowed us to send radiation to a tumor while protecting the surrounding healthy tissue.

In 2020, Altru made another investment in our cancer care with the installation of the Radixact X9 helical linear accelerator, allowing for even more exact treatment of tumors. We use artificial intelligence (AI) to track a tumor in patients with lung cancer, for example. The AI predicts and synchronizes the patient’s breathing and directs radiation to the tumor. A photon beam locks onto the tumor’s position and can deliver precise treatment, even if a patient moves. This treatment significantly spares normal lung tissue compared to traditional lung radiation treatments, leading to fewer post-radiation issues in patients. We are also using Radixact for stereotactic prostate cancer treatment.

Orthopedics and sports medicine

Dr. Jeremy Gardner

Since 2016, Altru Orthopedics & Sports Medicine has been performing robotic-assisted knee replacements, and we are still the only hospital in North Dakota to have this technology. We have performed more than 3,000 robotic hip and knee replacements, which places us near the top of the list for the entire upper Midwest. This technology allows us to be very precise and fit the implant accurately to the patient’s anatomy, which improves early recovery and patient satisfaction with the entire joint replacement.

In early 2022, Dr. Reed Lambert joined our Orthopedics & Sports Medicine team. In addition to performing robotic assisted joint replacement, Dr. Lambert also takes trauma calls. He’s fully invested in the Grand Forks community.

Heart and vascular services

Dr. Jason Go

In 2019, Altru heart and vascular services launched the TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement) program. This program allows us to treat patients with severe aortic stenosis, or narrowing of a heart valve, while they are fully awake and without the need for open heart surgery. This greatly improves our patients’ experience after the procedure.

Formerly with open heart surgery, there was a five- to seven-day hospital stay and up to six months before full recovery. With TAVR, our patients are experiencing a one- to two-day hospital stay and back to full recovery after about one week.

Also in 2019, we started implanting Watchman in some of our patients. The Watchman is a permanent device placed during a onetime procedure; Watchman reduces the risk of stroke in patients who are unable to take blood thinner medications due to a high bleeding risk.

Altru also has been doing PFO closures, a procedure done to close the patent foramen ovale or a “hole in the heart” that is present at birth which, in some patients, can lead to a stroke. In this specific population, closing the PFO prevents further strokes. This procedure is also done with minimal sedation only.

More recently in October 2022, Altru Cardiology launched a Heart Failure Outpatient Infusion clinic. This clinic allows us to provide intermediate care for patients with congestive heart failure without a readmission to the hospital or a visit to the ER. Likewise, we also offer the CardioMEMS device, which is an implantable monitor that allows for real-time monitoring and optimizes diuretic therapy for patients with severe heart failure and whose kidney function may be sensitive to diuretic adjustments.

Altru Cardiology is also the first cardiac program in the state to offer CT-FFR, which is a state-of-the-art imaging tool that assesses coronary artery “blockage” without the need for an invasive angiogram. Thank you to our patients for trusting us with your care. Altru will continue to lead the way to greater health for our communities.