MERRIAM, KS -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 06/29/07 -- Shawnee Mission Medical Center will showcase a procedure that can repair a hole in the heart without invasive surgery in a live Webcast on www.OR-Live.com July 12, 6:30 PM EDT. Cardiologist Paul H. Kramer, MD, of Kramer & Crouse Cardiology, will use a closure device to seal a congenital hole in the heart, a condition also known as patent foramen ovale (PFO), without open-heart surgery.

Kramer is a national leader in the innovation of this procedure and was the first cardiologist in the area to perform the procedure using the latest closure devices.

During this minimally invasive procedure, the closure device will be fed through a catheter in the leg and advanced to the heart to cover the hole. Once the device is in place, the catheter will be removed. Over time, heart tissue will grow over the device, closing the hole permanently. The closure device will block future blood flow through the hole and reduce the chance of recurring stroke.

"This procedure is beneficial to patients because it dramatically reduces recovery time," said Kramer. "Surgery is eliminated, as well as a painful incision. The only follow-up medication needed is an aspirin a day."

Most patients do not have symptoms with PFO. However, it can lead to a stroke or a TIA, better known as a mini stroke. PFO can be detected by an echocardiogram, a test in which an ultrasound is used to scan the heart. PFO is present in about 25 percent of the general population.

Most PFO procedures are done on an outpatient basis and the patient is allowed to return home the day of the procedure or the next. This procedure is less invasive than open-heart surgery, which leads to a quicker recovery and less discomfort for the patient.

Minimally Invasive Cardiovascular Procedures

Physicians at the Shawnee Mission Regional Cardiac & Vascular Center were the first in the Kansas City metropolitan area to perform a variety of revolutionary minimally invasive procedures designed to prevent open-heart surgery -- affording patients a shorter hospital stay, less pain and a quicker recovery time than with traditional surgery.

Umbrellas Used for More than Rainy Days

Paul H. Kramer, MD, FACC, of Kramer & Crouse Cardiology, PC, was the first cardiologist in the area to use a revolutionary umbrella-like device to close congenital holes in the heart, otherwise known as patent foramen ovale (PFO) and atrial septal defect, without open-heart surgery. These polyester fabric devices are folded into a special catheter that is inserted through a vein in the leg to the hole in the heart. The umbrella-like arms of the device are slowly pushed out of the catheter and a set of arms opens on each side of the hole to close it. The use of this type of device facilitates the growth of tissue around the hole, closing it permanently. Closure devices block future blood flow through the defect and reduces the incidence of recurrent stroke. Many times, the procedure also enables patients to eliminate blood thinners from their medication regimen. "This procedure is beneficial to patients because it dramatically reduces recovery time," said Dr. Kramer. "Surgery is eliminated, as well as a painful incision. The only follow-up medication needed is an aspirin a day." In addition, most PFO and atrial septal defect procedures are performed under local anesthesia in an outpatient setting, allowing patients to return to normal activity in just a few days.

Visit: http://www.or-live.com/ShawneeMission/1888 now to learn more and view a program preview. VNR http://www.or-live.com/rams/shm-1888-mkw-q.ram

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