Holy Cross Health in Fort Lauderdale is recognizing American Heart Month in February with the opening of a third cardiac catheterization laboratory.
The cath labs are complemented by two electrophysiology labs in the Jim Moran Heart and Vascular Center. This investment in cardiac advancements elevates Holy Cross Health’s cutting-edge, top-quality cardiac care.
“The lab features the newest, state-of-the-art imaging, technology and additional devices that enhance the patient experience and quality of care we provide,” said Joshua Purow, M.D., interventional cardiologist at Holy Cross Health. “This also allows us to integrate new technologies in the field of interventional cardiology for coronary artery disease.”
In the new Holy Cross Philips lab, patients have access to IVUS (Intravascular Ultrasound Imaging) and IFR (Instantaneous Wave-free Ratio), which measures the resting pressure between coronary stenosis in the cardiac cycle.
“We can treat the coronary artery disease better with more exact placement of stents, more exact sizing of stents and integration of ways to detect areas that may need to be treated in the future,” said Alexander Llanos, M.D., interventional cardiologist at Holy Cross Health. “We can also continue to bring in the latest technologies, the latest clinical trials and the latest therapies to patients.”
New structural heart disease technologies also will enable Holy Cross to care for all valvular heart disease, as well as congenital heart defects. A new Cardiac Imaging Unit (CIU) recently opened to provide services such as Transthoracic Echocardiogram (TTE), Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE) and Cardioversions. The unit is all-inclusive, with patient care before, during and after procedures.
Holy Cross Health, with a robust team of experienced interventional cardiologists who are on-call 24/7 to perform emergency and scheduled cardiac procedures, has gained national attention from U.S. News & World Report and American Heart Association, among others, as a leader in heart and cardiovascular care.
In Florida, Holy Cross was the first to:
- use the iCT 256-slice scanner to offer Cardiac CT Angiography (CCTA), which allows physicians to detect early-stage life-threatening illnesses;
- perform a Paravalvular Leak Closure using a transapical approach, an option for patients who are not eligible for open heart surgery; and
- use the Prime ECG Vest, which may provide physicians with additional data beyond a traditional electrocardiogram in some cases.
In the tri-county area, Holy Cross was the first to offer the Medtronics MyCareLinkTM Patient Monitor, a remote cardiac monitoring system that transmits data to clinicians from anywhere in the world with a cellular signal.
In Broward County, Holy Cross was the first:
- to achieve The Joint Commission’s Advanced Certification in Heart Failure;
- perform Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacements on high-risk patients;
- offer Induced Hypothermia, which increases the chances of survival of cardiac arrest and improves neurological outcomes following cardiac arrest; and
- implant Reveal LINQTM, the smallest, wireless, long-term, cardiac monitor available.
ABOUT THE JIM MORAN HEART AND VASCULAR CENTER AT HOLY CROSS HEALTH
Jim Moran donated $1 million to Holy Cross Health for a cardiovascular intensive care unit after undergoing lifesaving open-heart surgery here in 1988. In 2000, Jim and Jan Moran and JM Family Enterprises contributed $6 million for the construction of the Jim Moran Heart and Vascular Center. The Center specializes in the education, prevention, detection and treatment of cardiac and vascular diseases. Not content to stop there, in 2006 they created a five-year, $26 million challenge -The Moran Challenge – and pledged $10 million to start an institute focusing on early-stage clinical trials in heart and vascular medicine. In essence, The Moran Challenge matches $1.00 for every $1.60 contributed, up to $16 million for this vital research. To learn more about supporting our healing ministry, visit HolyCrossDonations.com.
ABOUT HOLY CROSS HEALTH
A member of Trinity Health, Fort Lauderdale-based Holy Cross Hospital, dba Holy Cross Health, is a full-service, non-profit, Catholic, teaching hospital operating in the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy. Holy Cross has been recognized for six Types of Care in U.S. News and World Report’s 2023-24 Best Hospital rankings. Through strategic collaborations and a commitment to being a person-centered, transforming, healing presence, the 557-bed hospital offers progressive inpatient, outpatient and community outreach services and clinical research trials to serve as our community’s trusted health partner for life. Holy Cross Health also encompasses Holy Cross HealthPlex outpatient facility, urgent care centers and more than 40 Holy Cross Medical Group physician practices. To learn more about Holy Cross Health, visit holy-cross.com. Connect @holycrossfl.
