Lab helps hospital keep pace

Mary A. Castillo

This isn’t the first time new Laguna resident Tom Tapscott, 74,

has had to correct the rhythm of his heart.

But as registered nurse Sherry Frymoyer prepares him for the

cardio version procedure, he’s confident that it will go smoothly.

“[Dr. Michael Moran] is a very good doctor,” he said. “He’s put me

on medications I haven’t been on before and this seems to be a very

good hospital.”

Tapscott is one of the 123 patients who have sought treatment at

South Coast Medical Center’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab, which

opened in May 2002.

Under the direction of Moran, the $2.1-million laboratory allows

physicians to perform diagnostic cardiac catheterizations and

pacemaker insertions, as well as renal, aortic and upper/lower

extremity peripheral angiographies.

The lab is the realization of a dream started by the late Dr.

Michael Codini, a close friend of Moran’s.

“After seeing Michael’s old patients and hearing how he shocked

them 34 times and saved their lives, I realized that these people are

really sick,” Moran said. “Several people wouldn’t have died had we

had a cath lab. It gives the hospital the ability to perform life

saving procedures.”

Determined to open a state-of-the-art catheterization lab and see

his friend’s vision through, Moran played a significant role in

overseeing its design and completion.

The lab features Siemen’s ANGIOSTAR Plus imaging system, which

allows Moran to clearly see how well the heart is pumping, to examine

coronary arteries and heart valves. Also, it is designed in such a

way that if a patient codes, the crash team can enter the lab without

compromising the sterile side of the table.

In the short time that it has been in use, the lab has allowed

Moran and his team not only to take groundbreaking steps in Orange

County’s medical community, but also to rescue severe cardiac

patients.

“We had a patient who had a stent that closed off abruptly, and

[he] came into the ER in shock,” Moran recalled one particular case.

“We couldn’t keep him alive, and he was too unstable for a helicopter

or ambulance ride to Mission.”

The team rushed him underneath the ANGIOSTAR Plus and used its

imaging capabilities to pinpoint the blocked arteries and then saved

his life by opening those arteries up.

Moran and his team were the first in Orange County to perform a

bi-atrial pacemaker procedure, which prevents atrial fibrillation.

Moran is one of the few cardiologists trained to insert catheters

through the wrist, so patients can walk off the table instead of

having to lay on their backs for up to 12 hours from traditional

insertion, through the groin.

“We’ve tried to stay ahead of the crowd,” Moran said. “We want to

bring that kind of technology to the people of Laguna Beach so they

can get treatment in their home town.”

* MARY A. CASTILLO covers education, public safety and City Hall.

She can be reached at mary.castillo@latimes.com.