Cardiac cath lab opens in AHN Wexford

Allegheny Health Network’s (AHN) Cardiovascular Institute newest cardiac catheterization laboratory is now open at AHN Wexford Hospital, following approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

The new cath lab at AHN Wexford will provide advanced heart care to patients throughout the growing northern region of Allegheny County as well as adjacent communities of Butler, Beaver, Lawrence and Mercer counties. With more than 60 years of experience among them, interventional cardiologists Drs. Samer Azouz, Prudencio Lucero and Yadavendra S. Rajawat, will provide service in this new catheterization lab.

“As a designated cardiac catheterization lab, our leading interventional radiologists and vascular surgeons will be able to offer a full array of diagnostic testing and interventional procedures that allow for swift identification and treatment of complex cardiovascular conditions,” said Dr. Allan Klapper, president of AHN Wexford.

Cardiac cath labs are specialized facilities where physicians perform state-of-the-art, minimally invasive cardiac procedures to diagnose and treat coronary artery disease. They are used for both elective and emergency procedures.

During a cardiac catherization procedure, interventional cardiologists insert a thin, hollow tube called a catheter into a blood vessel in either the wrist or groin and advance it under X-ray to the heart. This allows for measurement of pressures within the heart and determines how well the heart is pumping blood throughout the body. In addition, coronary angiography – which involves injecting contrast dye into the vascular system of the heart – produces images that identify blocked arteries which then may be treated with the placement of a stent.

AHN Wexford opened its doors to first patients in late September.

For more information on cardiovascular services at AHN Wexford, visit ahn.org.