Ascension Via Christi continues to invest in its Structural Heart program with the addition of an advanced imaging system that can capture detailed images via a catheter threaded up to the heart from the groin.
The 4D intracardiac echo, or 4D-ICE, device is being used primarily to help guide mitral valve repairs, treating tricuspid valve regurgitation and treatment of congenital heart disease, further adding to the technology available to Ascension Via Christi St. Francis’ globally recognized Structural Heart team.
An echocardiogram is a noninvasive test that uses sound waves to produce detailed images of the heart's size, structure and function and of its valves. It also is used to measure blood volume and the speed and direction of blood flow through the heart.
Funded by a $500,000 Via Christi Foundation fund earmarked for purchasing leading-edge technology, 4D-ICE allows some procedures to be performed under light sedation instead of general anesthesia.
"This cuts down the recovery time, helping get patients safely home faster," said Dave Degenhart, Director of Imaging Operations for Ascension Via Christi's Wichita hospitals and clinics.
Prior to 4D-ICE, echo tests were performed via the esophagus as transesophageal echo, which required having patents under general anesthesia, thus increasing patients’ risks and delaying their recovery. With 4D echo, a detailed, real-time view is captured from inside the heart with high definition.
"This investment in 4D-ICE technology is the newest frontier in the continually evolving the world of heart and vascular care," said Interventional Cardiologist Bassem Chehab, MD, who along with Cardiothoracic Surgeon Brett Grizzell, MD leads the multidisciplinary Structural Heart team at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis. "It opens up new therapeutic possibilities for patients who are not good candidates for open procedures or those traditionally performed under general anesthesia.”
Close-to-home heart care
As you need more complex and advanced care for the health of your heart, Ascension Via Christi in Wichita, Kansas, is ready with treatment that is right for you. Learn more: https://healthcare.ascension.org/specialty-care/cardiology/structural-heart-care/why-ascension/ksasc-ks-structural-heart-valve-care