Now that his heart is no longer in danger, thanks to quadruple
bypass surgery at Methodist Charlton, Dan Eddy looks forward
to spending lots of quality time with his grandchildren.
Methodist Charlton Medical Center
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Summer 2014
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When Joe Eppler had the transradial approach in 2013, he was
amazed at how easy the procedure was. “I was discharged only
two hours afterwards and felt no pain,” he says.
Transradial percutaneous coronary interven-
tion
(TR-PCI). Try saying that five times fast.
Those are big words for a procedure
that actually makes some things smaller —
like complication risks — when it comes to
heart disease treatment.
Traditionally, interventional cardiologists
treat blockages in the heart via a small
incision in the groin. But with TR-PCI,
they go through the wrist.
Manish Patel, MD, FACC, FSCAI,
cardiologist at Methodist Charlton
Medical Center, says this approach
offers many benefits for patients:
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Reduced hospital stay and risk
of complications.
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Faster recovery. “In the conventional
procedure, four to six hours of bed
rest is required after the procedure,”
Dr. Patel says. “But with the radial
approach, patients can sit up immediately.
It’s much easier on people with back,
hip, lung, and musculoskeletal problems.”
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Less pain. Patients report minimal
discomfort after the procedure.
A new twist on heart
disease treatment
