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.
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