 News
Southlake Regional Health Centre performs
first open-heart surgery
Newmarket, Ontario - December 10, 2003 - Exactly
five years after being designated a Regional Cardiac Centre by
the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Southlake's cardiac
surgery team successfully performed their first cardiac surgery
on December 4. The much-anticipated launch of the comprehensive
cardiac program has now been made official with the inception
of surgery and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and the
successful progression of the arrhythmia program.
"To be performing open-heart surgery on the
fifth anniversary of the Ministry's announcement is no small feat,
and it certainly would not have been possible without the relentless
efforts of our staff and physicians. It has been a long road encompassing
many difficulties and challenges along the way, but on the morning
of December 4, it suddenly seemed all worthwhile." stated
Daniel Carriere, President and CEO.
"We remain driven by the knowledge that we
are building a world-class cardiac centre so that the people in
York and surrounding Regions no longer have to drive to Toronto
for life-saving care."
The surgery was performed by Dr. Byung Moon, Division
Head for the cardiac surgery program, assisted by Dr. Richard
Bauset, cardiac surgeon, and a highly qualified cardiac support
team. The team utilized a minimally invasive method of harvesting
the saphenous vein from the patient's leg so it could be used
to bypass the blocked arteries in the patient's heart. Seven years
ago Dr. Moon was one of the original developers of this method,
which, through the use of minimal skin incisions, improves the
patient's mobility, decreases their pain and swelling, and results
in a less conspicuous scar.
"The strength of any cardiac program comes
from its team, and based on the teamwork displayed during our
first surgical procedure, I believe we are witnessing the beginning
of a great cardiac program," said Dr. Moon
The patient, a 57 year-old Newmarket man, was admitted
to Southlake on November 25 when a series of diagnostic tests
revealed that he had several critically blocked coronary arteries
that would require urgent bypass surgery. He remained in Hospital
and on December 4 at 8:00 a.m. was taken into the cardiovascular
operating room where his surgical team prepared him for a triple
bypass procedure. The patient was transferred to the cardiovascular
intensive care unit (CVICU) at 12:30 p.m. having shown marked
improvement in his overall cardiac function.
The patient was awake and had his breathing tube
removed shortly after 6:00 p.m. on December 4, and was sitting
up in a chair the same night. Having shown significant improvement,
the patient was discharged from Southlake on December 8, the fourth
post-operative day.
Five to six weeks following surgery, the patient
will receive an automatic referral to Heartworks, Southlake's
cardiac rehabilitation program. This 12-week program includes
education and exercise to help patients re-evaluate their lifestyles
and learn to make healthy choices.
"Cardiac surgery when combined with an active
lifestyle, heart healthy diet and management of some of the risk
factors, such as hypertension and diabetes, can certainly give
people with heart disease a second chance," stated Dr. Moon.
Once the Regional Cardiac Care Program is fully
operational in 2004/2005, the surgical team will perform an estimated
900-1,000 bypass and valve surgeries per year. For those patients
with blocked coronary arteries but for whom surgery is not necessary,
the PCI program is expected to perform an estimated 1,400 procedures
per year. The arrhythmia program, which expanded its services
in April of this year, has to date performed 41 Electrophysiology
Studies, 42 Ablations and implanted 26 Implantable Cardioverter
Defibrillators (ICDs).
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