Focusing on patient-oriented research
Research discoveries help put patients first At 87 years of age, Anne Schutta was extremely short of breath and says she was “tired all the time”. Her aortic valve was severely calcified and needed to be replaced, but the risks of open heart surgery were considerable. The conventional procedure for such a diagnosis would be to connect the patient to a heart-lung machine and open up the chest to take the old valve out and put a new one in, says Cardiac Surgeon Dr. Darrin Payne. Risks associated with this type of procedure increase for older patients who may have other factors such as low body weight. “In some cases, you just have to say the risk is so high, it is just something we cannot do,” Dr. Payne says. Fortnately for Anne Schutta, that’s where the groundbreaking Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) procedure comes in. It involves using a catheter that goes to the heart through an incision near the groin. The new valve is then implanted through the catheter. The TAVI procedure has been performed at KGH for the past few months for certain patients, with a plan to increase the number of patients who may benefit from the procedure in the longer-term. “It’s a growing technology in the Kingston and surrounding area,” notes Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Paul Malik.
Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Paul Malik (left) and Cardiac Surgeon Dr. Darrin Payne (right) with grateful patient Anne Schutta whose life was forever changed thanks to new treatments.
For patients like Anne Schutta, having access to such high-tech care in Kingston is life-changing. Four days after her procedure, she was discharged home. In fact, she says, “it’s given me my life back.” Those were the words she chose when she spoke to about 120 donors at a special Bell luncheon in May, that was focused on demonstrating the difference that is being made for patients through medical research. “The foundation provided a lot of the
seed money that allowed us to do TAVI here,” Dr. Stephen Archer, Dean of Medicine, said at the luncheon. At present, funds are being raised to support creation of a patient-oriented Clinical Investigation Unit - a major priority at KGH. It will involve research explicitly aimed at improving outcomes for patients, noted Dr. Roger Deeley, Vice President of Health Sciences Research at KGH. Contact UHKF for more information.
Did you know? We have satellite offices in our benefiting organizations. You can visit any of our staff at the following locations: Nancy Druick on Sydenham 2 (just inside the Sydenham St. entrance) at Hotel Dieu Hospital Bill Durnford & Suzanne Beek in Nickle 2 at Kingston General Hospital Margaret Miller - Empire 2 Room 3-263 at Kingston General Hospital Michelle Hauser - Room 1-2057 at Providence Manor
Foundation Report - Summer 2013 3 Foundation Report - Summer 2013
3