HJBR May/Jun 2022

38 MAY / JUN 2022  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE   Healthcare Briefs the right heart. FlowTriever removes large clots from large vessels without the need for clot-bust- ing drugs or intensive-care stay. The device dis- rupts and aspirates clot using nitinol mesh disks and large lumen aspiration catheters to rapidly remove clots and restore blood flow. The proce- dure offers patients immediate symptom relief and is typically completed in one hour under con- scious sedation. In the U.S. annually, 25,000 patients are diag- nosed with right atrial CIT, and the condition is associated with a high mortality rate of over 80% if left untreated. If a clot-in-transit makes its way through the heart and into the lungs, it is consid- ered a pulmonary embolism (PE). This blockage restricts blood flow to the lungs and puts strain on the right side of the heart as it is unable to push blood passed the clot. In severe cases, the right heart may fail and lead to a fatal event. Pulmonary embolism is the third leading cause of cardiovas- cular death with almost one million patients diag- nosed annually in the U.S. “For patients, this is a safer, less-invasive option for the treatment of a traveling clot before it lodges in the pulmonary arteries and causes symptoms,” said Abraham. “There is lower bleed- ing risk and a quicker recovery time.” The most common treatment for blood clots includes blood thinner medications and “clot busting” drugs. However, blood thinners only prevent new clots from forming and will not actively break down existing clots. While “clot busting” drugs may help the body dissolve clots, they come with a high-risk of bleeding and require an intensive-care stay. NCVHConference Returning to NewOrleans May 31-June 3 The New Cardiovascular Horizons (NCVH) con- ference is returning to New Orleans this summer to bring together medical professionals of all spe- cialties from around the world with one common goal — to give patients the very best cardiovas- cular care and outcomes. In its 23rd year, the NCVH conference will take place from May 31- June 3 at The Roosevelt Hotel. The conference features late-breaking advancements in cardiovascular medicine for medical professionals with a focus on contin- uum of care and limb salvage. The conference is Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center COO, Jonas Fontenot, PhD, Reappointed toMEDCAC Jonas Fontenot, PhD, chief operating officer, chief of physics at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Cen- ter, has been invited to serve a second term as member of the Medicare Evidence Develop- ment & Coverage Advisory Committee (MED- CAC). Fontenot is the only representative from Louisiana serving on the committee. The MEDCAC was established by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to pro- vide independent guidance and expert advice to CMS on specific clinical topics. The MEDCAC advises CMS on whether specific medical items and services are reasonable and necessary under Medicare law. The MEDCAC performs this task through careful review and discussion of specific clinical and scientific issues in an open and pub- lic forum. Ultimately, the MEDAC is used to sup- plement CMS’ internal expertise and to ensure an unbiased and contemporary consideration of innovative technology and science. The MEDCAC relies on approximately 100 experts in clinical and administrative medicine, biologic and physical sciences, public health administration, patient advocacy, health care data, and information management and analy- sis, health care economics, and medical ethics to serve on the MEDAC. The panel meets in a pub- lic forum approximately four to eight times over the life of the committee to review medical evi- dence for the topic under deliberation, listen to public testimony, and provide advice about the quality of the evidence. “This is a win-win for our nation’s Medicare program and for seniors across our country who depend on this program for affordable access to healthcare,” said Todd Stevens, president and chief executive officer, Mary Bird Perkins Can- cer Center. “Dr. Fontenot is a proven leader. He brings incredible knowledge and expertise to our team here at Mary Bird Perkins. We know that his depth of experience will continue to be of great value to the MEDCAC – especially as the committee considers cancer-specific services and treatment.” Fontenot is board-certified in therapeutic medical physics and was the first medical physi- cist selected by the American Society for Radia- tion Oncology (ASTRO) to complete the Health Policy Fellowship program, which trains leaders in oncology-related health policy and payment reform issues. A leader of Mary Bird Perkins’ med- ical physics partnership with Louisiana State Uni- versity, Fontenot also serves as an adjunct fac- ulty member in the LSU Department of Physics and Astronomy. Fontenot has served as Mary Bird Perkins Can- cer Center’s chief of physics since 2015 and as chief operating officer since 2017. Under his lead- ership, the Cancer Center has strengthened its reputation as the leading cancer care organiza- tion in the Gulf South through constant inno- vation and the incorporation of new, cutting- edge cancer treatment technology. He was most recently involved in the creation of Mary Bird Per- kins’ new Adaptive MRI-Guided Radiation Ther- apy Program. With this technology, radiation oncologists at the Cancer Center will be able to visualize a tumor and adjust radiation dosage in real time. CIS Interventional Cardiologist Uses Inari Medical FlowTriever System Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) inter- ventional cardiologist Niksad Abraham, MD, recently used the Inari Medical FlowTriever Sys- tem for the treatment of a clot-in-transit (CIT) in the right atrium of the heart. The procedure took place on Feb. 18 at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge. CIT is a life-threatening condition which occurs when blood clots (usually from the legs) break loose and travel through the bloodstream to Jonas Fontenot, PhD