DES MOINES, IA - Cardiologists and vascular surgeons at Iowa Lutheran Hospital have begun using a new, state-of the-art cardiac catheterization lab at the hospital, enhancing the detection and treatment of heart and vascular disease. The new lab is the culmination of months of work at Iowa Lutheran.

 The new Siemens all-digital "combo" lab allows cardiologists to better diagnose and treat heart disease by seeing heart structures and blood vessels more clearly than ever before. The equipment is also ideally suited for vascular surgeons to diagnose and treat peripheral vascular disease; it provides highly-detailed images of arteries and veins in the head, neck, abdomen, arms, and legs. There is also a significant reduction in radiation dosage, for both patient and hospital staff and technicians.

 This new equipment is a significant re-investment in the standard of patient care at Iowa Lutheran Hospital, and furthers UnityPoint Health - Des Moines' ongoing commitment to provide the best possible care for its community.

 "Image quality is critical," said Amar Nath, M.D., a cardiologist with UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Cardiology, who will use the new cath lab on a regular basis. "The new lab is going to get a lot of use because it was designed from the ground up to have the right tools for cardiologists and electro-physiologists."

 "The availability of quality imaging equipment and skilled personnel is crucial to the care of patients with peripheral vascular disease," said Douglas Massop, M.D., a vascular surgeon with The Iowa Clinic. "We are enthusiastic about the abilities of this new equipment to us to help care for patients at Iowa Lutheran. We are also excited to partner with UnityPoint Health - Des Moines and UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Cardiology to better serve our patients."

 Other benefits of the new "combo" cath lab suite at Iowa Lutheran include:

• 3-D mapping for complex cardiac and vascular procedures, with the ability to combine, or "fuse" individual CT images, better defining the complex anatomy of the heart and blood vessels
• Intra-cardiac echocardiography (ICE) capability, which allows complex procedures to be done more safely
• Electrophysiology studies, to determine the proper treatment and correction of complex irregular heart rhythm problems
• The patient table has a higher weight limit than before, and the digital images provide much clearer images for high-BMI patients

 "UnityPoint Health - Des Moines is continuing to invest in outstanding tools for medical care at the Iowa Lutheran Hospital campus," said Eric Lothe, Administrator for Iowa Lutheran. "Our cardiologists are using interventional cath lab technology more and more, helping to ward off heart disease in early stages, saving lives and providing more cost-effective care. The advances we are seeing in heart care today are truly revolutionary."

 Iowa Lutheran Hospital is a leader in high-quality cardiac and vascular care in Des Moines. Physicians on staff at Iowa Lutheran have performed open-heart surgery for more than 20 years. The Hospital's physicians and staff have achieved record "door-to-balloon" times for the re-opening of arteries after severe heart attacks.

 Along with Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Iowa Lutheran has been named as a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care® by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa and as a UnitedHealth Premium Cardiac Surgery Specialty Center by United Healthcare.

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