The Body Invaders: Heart Attack (9 of 28)

The Body Invaders: Heart Attack

Now surgeons have a safer alternative to stopping the heart.
Here in Massachusetts General Hospital doctors use the Cohn cardiac stabilizer.
Developed by Ron's surgeon.
Dr. William Cohn.
It allows surgeons to graft vessels to a beating heart.
By holding just one segment of an artery motion free.
And allowing the rest of the heart to continue its beating process.
You can emulate that same sort of motion free.
Blood free feel.
In a sort of micro environment to allow the suturing to be carried out.

While still allowing the heart and lungs to maintain the support of the patient Silicone elastic tape is fed beneath the coronary artery.
This flat.
Plastic instrument sits on the surface of the heart with the artery appearing through this rectangular window.
The silicone tapes are pulled tight.
Cutting off blood flow to the small section of the artery.
The graft can now be attached.
So far.
The Cohn cardiac stabilizer allows patients to recover faster with less incidents of infection.
The risk of death associated with stopping the heart is also reported to be significantly decreased.
Unfortunately for many people.
The first indication of heart disease is heart attack.
But risk factors are actually easy to identify.
If you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
If you smoke.
Are physically inactive.
If you're overweight.
Have diabetes or have a family history of heart disease you may be at risk.
Hi.
I'm here for a cardiac stress test My name is Kat Carney.
Hi Kat.
Let's go ahead and get started on your blood work.
Okay Come on through.
Is this gonna hurt? No.