Email this pageCARDIAC - How TMR Can Help
TMR is a surgical
procedure that uses a low-energy laser beam to
create channels in the heart, increasing blood
circulation and reducing angina pain. Tiny holes
about one millimeter in diameter are made, starting
from the outside surface of the heart all the way
through to the inner cavity. The outside of the
heart muscle seals up immediately as the laser is
removed from the channel, limiting the amount of
bleeding that results. In each area where blood flow
is restricted, the surgeon will use the laser to
make from 15 to 50 channels depending on the number
of areas involved.
"People most likely to benefit from TMR are those with diffuse coronary artery disease," explains Felice Reitknecht, MD, Guthrie’s Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery. "In typical coronary bypass patients, there are blockages in the upper part of the vessel and the remainder of the vessel is free of disease. In these cases, we put in an arterial graft that bypasses the blocked area, allowing the blood to flow freely into the clean, healthy area. But when the entire artery is blocked, bypass might not be possible or simply won’t work well enough to solve all the problems. Some vessels in these patients may benefit from bypass, but other areas would be left unrepaired because there is just too much disease. By adding TMR to traditional bypass surgery, we are able to treat more of the damage, improving symptoms and quality of life."
"What we find is that we can usually get a jump of two levels of increased activity with the TMR procedure," reports Dr. Reitknecht, "as well as a decrease in dependence on medications, a reduction in hospitalizations and an improvement in mortality rates compared to bypass surgery alone." Guthrie offers TMR in conjunction with coronary artery bypass surgery, adding only minutes to the procedure. As the most advanced surgical treatment available, TMR offers patients with angina renewed hope. For more information about laser heart surgery at Guthrie, call toll-free 1-888-4GUTHRIE (1-888-448-8474).
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