Prevea Heart & Vascular Care becomes first in Wisconsin to implant new, naturally-dissolving heart stent
Green Bay – Coronary artery disease affects 15 million people in the United States and remains a leading cause of death worldwide. It’s the cause of many serious health conditions, including heart attacks.
On Sept. 20, 2016, the interventional cardiology team at Prevea Heart & Vascular Care in Green Bay was the first in Wisconsin to implant a new, state-of-the-art heart stent that is proving to be a major advancement in the treatment of coronary artery disease.
The stent is called the Absorb™ bioresorbable vascular scaffold, or Absorb stent, and literally disappears over time. It’s made of naturally dissolving material, similar to dissolving stitches. The stent disappears completely in about 3 years, after it has done its job of keeping a clogged artery open and promoting healing of the treated artery segment. Once healed, the artery is able function more naturally than when a traditional, metal stent is used.
“Heart disease is not curable, but manageable,” said interventional cardiologist, Zhaowei Ai, MD, PhD, FACC of Prevea Heart & Vascular Care. “How we treat you now affects you later in life. Metal stents are a breakthrough that have helped millions and will continue to for the foreseeable future. However, patients who already have a metal stent and are in need of additional treatment for blockages may have limited options due to the existing metal stent in place. When an Absorb stent is used, there is no lifelong stent to worry about.”
Tuesday’s procedure was led by Dr. Ai at Prevea Health’s partner hospital, HSHS St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay. The Absorb stent procedure will also be performed by Prevea Heart & Vascular Care experts at HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center in Green Bay in the near future. HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center is also a hospital partner of Prevea Health and a source of exceptional cardiovascular care.
For more information about coronary artery disease and the Absorb stent, click here.
About Prevea Health
Prevea Health’s mission is to care for people with passion, pride, and respect. Founded in 1996, Prevea Health partners with HSHS St. Vincent Hospital and HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center in Green Bay, HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan, HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital in Oconto Falls, HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls, to provide access to more than 200 physicians in more than 60 specialty areas. Prevea has more than 40 locations throughout Northeast Wisconsin and Western Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley region. For more information, visit www.prevea.com.
About HSHS St. Vincent Hospital and HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center
HSHS St. Vincent Hospital and HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center have been delivering quality health care to Green Bay and its surrounding communities since 1888. With HSHS St. Vincent being the largest tertiary care hospital and HSHS St. Mary’s location on Green Bay’s west side, patients from Northeastern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan benefit from a comprehensive range of services that include cancer care, women’s services, emergency and trauma care, preventive care across the lifespan, digestive health, orthopedic, cardiac care, neurosciences, rehabilitation and pediatrics. Affiliates of Hospital Sisters Health System, the hospitals primary purpose is to continue Christ’s healing love through the delivery of competent and compassionate health care in an environment sensitive to the needs of all people. Both hospitals are accredited by the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
About Hospital Sisters Health System
Hospital Sisters Health System’s (HSHS) mission is to reveal and embody Christ’s healing love for all people through our high quality, Franciscan health care ministry. HSHS provides state-of-the-art health care to our patients and is dedicated to serving all people, especially the most vulnerable, at each of our 14 Local Systems and physician practices in Illinois (Belleville, Breese, Decatur, Effingham, Greenville, Highland, Litchfield, and Springfield) and Wisconsin (Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, Oconto Falls, Sheboygan, and two in Green Bay). HSHS is sponsored by Hospital Sisters Ministries, and Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is the founding institute. For more information about HSHS, visit www.hshs.org. For more information about Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, visit www.hospitalsisters.org.
