HJBR Jul/Aug 2022

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  JUL / AUG 2022 61 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalBR.com throughout the region. Our cardiovascular team has a rich history of bringing lifesaving innovation to Louisiana, and we are look forward to comple- menting our services with this technology,” says Chuck Daigle, Ochsner Baton Rouge CEO. CIS, Baton Rouge General Treat 100th TAVR Patient Physicians at Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) and Baton Rouge General Medical Center (BRG) performed their 100th transcath- eter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure on April 21 at Baton Rouge General. CIS inter- ventional cardiologists Garland Green, MD, and Shane Prejean, MD, as well as Imtiaz Khan, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon, worked together to per- form the procedure. The TAVR procedure treats severe aortic steno- sis by using a catheter-based process to implant an artificial valve. The EVOLUT PRO+ system by Medtronic is designed to replace a patient’s dis- eased native aortic valve without the need for open-chest surgery and without stopping the patient’s heart. Therefore, the procedure is ideal for patients who are considered high-risk for open heart surgery. Aortic stenosis occurs when aortic valves do not open properly, hindering the heart from pumping blood throughout the body. The aorta is a major blood vessel that travels from the left heart ven- tricle out to the body. If left untreated, the aor- tic valve weakens and the condition worsens over time, potentially leading to heart failure and increased risk for sudden cardiac arrest. Symp- toms of aortic stenosis can be severe and include chest pain, fatigue, feeling faint, heart palpita- tions, or heart murmur. Aortic stenosis weakens the heart and may eventually lead to heart failure. During the procedure, the bio-prosthetic valve is guided by a catheter to the heart. After the valve is in the correct position, the catheter is retracted, allowing the newly implanted valve to take over the function of the native aortic valve. This valve replacement is performed in a cardiac catheteriza- tion laboratory under general anesthesia. “We are thrilled to offer our patients better qual- ity of life with procedures like TAVR,” said Green, CIS interventional cardiologist and Baton Rouge medical director. Ochsner Emergency Departments Recognized for Quality Improvement During the Pandemic The emergency departments of Ochsner Med- ical Center – Baton Rouge and Ochsner Medi- cal Complex – Iberville in Plaquemine have been named to the Emergency Quality Network Honor Roll for significant achievement in stroke treat- ment or opioid use disorder quality improvement metrics and performance data sharing. Presented by the American College of Emer- gency Physicians, the “E-Qual” Honor Roll repre- sents best-in-class efforts from emergency depart- ments across the country to standardize and continuously improve the quality of patient care. “This is tremendous recognition for Ochsner healthcare workers who serve at the very front- line of patient care,” said Chuck Daigle, Ochsner Baton Rouge CEO. “Our commitment to shar- ing this data is critical to improving outcomes for all emergency department patients, as well as improving the healthcare industry overall.” Woman’s Hospital Expands Patient Safety Technology to Labor &Delivery Woman’s Hospital has expanded its use of Medtronic Situate scanning devices to all labor and delivery rooms — the first in the area to uti- lize this safety measure for all patients deliver- ing at the hospital. Woman’s was also the first in Baton Rouge to use the technology in its operat- ing rooms as an added layer of protection from retained surgical items (RSIs). Medtronic’s Situate disposable cotton sponges, gauze, and towels are embedded with a tiny Pictured from left to right: Back: Konstantine Jegorov, ST; Winston Wilson, RN, team leader. Middle: Daryl Stepp, Medtronic; Shane Prejean, MD; Brooke Morden, ST; Ashley Lenoux, ST; Stephen Dupuis, RN; Tina Cockrell, RN; Terika Boudreaux, RN; Imtiaz Khan, MD. Front: Ben Schuler, RW; Cassandra Comadelle, RN; Wyatt Stewart, RT; Garland Green, MD; Josh Jones, RT; Jessica Sonnier, RN; Heath Auzenne, Medtronic.