VOLUME II, ISSUE 3 VOL UME II, ISSUE 2 INSID E THI S ISSUE ...
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VOLUME II, ISSUE 2
I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E
IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH
ASK THE DOCTOR
ER IN TOP 1% NATIONWIDE
REACHING OUT TO HAITI
NEW OPERATING ROOMS
RADIAL CATHETERIZATION
CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
LEADING HAND AND UPPEREXTREMITY SPECIALISTCHRISTOPHER MANNING, M.D.EXAMINES HIS PATIENT,DARRIN KUHN.
Advanced Orthopedic Care REBUILDING A PATIENT’S OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE
OUTPATIENTCENTER/MEDICALOFFICE BUILDINGTO OPEN IN PETERS
VOLUME II, ISSUE 3
St. Clair Hospital has purchased
property in Peters Township, along
Route 19, just south of Donaldson’s Cross
Roads, to construct a new medical office
building and outpatient center. The new
center will provide more medical office
space for St. Clair physicians and make the
Hospital’s services more convenient for its
patients. Over the last few years, St. Clair
has seen a marked increase in the number
of patients from this area. More than 40 St.
Clair physicians have offices in the Peters
Township area, one of the fastest growing
communities in southwestern Pennsylvania.
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After working all day at his full-time job, Blaine
“Darrin” Kuhn of Upper St. Clair had been putting
in five to six hours a night readying his new home for his
wife and their young daughter.
Good with his hands, Darrin was using an electric-powered miter saw to trim the
hardwood floors he was installing on the second floor. That’s when it happened. He
partially amputated his left thumb. His world had changed in an instant. “I was doing
some real thin shaving when the miter saw just kind of grabbed the piece of wood and
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S t . C l a i r H o s p i t a l o f f e r s a c o n t i n u u m o f m e n t a l
Psychiatrist Bruce A.Wright, M.D. believes the stigma
long associated with “mental illness” has waned over
the last decade or so, but says there are still hurdles
preventing people from reaching out for what sometimes
can be desperately needed help.
Reaching Out to ImproveMental Health
Many people simply believe that nothing can be
done to treat the way they are feeling,” says Dr.
Wright, Medical Director of Psychiatry in the Behavioral
and Mental Health program at St. Clair Hospital.
But that, he says, is far from the truth.
People suffering from mental illnesses today—whether
mood disorders such as major depression, anxiety or
panic disorders, or other psychiatric disorders—are being
treated effectively and successfully with a combination of
therapy and medication.
And, says Dr. Wright, the goal in treating people with
mental illnesses is much like that of physicians who are
treating patients with physical ailments. “Our aim is to
not just make people feel better. It is to bring about a
remission, where they feel completely better.”
Dr. Wright says he and the other board-certified
psychiatrists, as well as the therapists at St. Clair, are
helping people every day return to lives free of despair
and worry.
He says the majority of men and women who are
treated at St. Clair are suffering from mood disorders,
which include major depression and anxiety disorders,
in which people are unusually or overly anxious, or may
experience panic attacks.
Dr. Wright says some studies show that up to 15 percent
to 20 percent of the general adult population suffers an
episode of major depression at some point in their lives.
(Women are twice as likely to experience an episode of
major depression as men.) He says those numbers reflect,
in part, the growing number of men and women who are
actively seeking treatment for mental illness after seeing
that other people have been treated effectively for it,
including celebrities.
“People are realizing that psychiatric illnesses are
diseases, not a sign of weakness,” he says. “They know it’s
not as simple as pulling yourself up by your bootstraps.”
Dr. Wright says St. Clair Hospital offers a continuum
of services for people in need of treatment. The Hospital’s
26-bed inpatient unit is designed for adult patients who
need treatment during the acute phase of their illness.
Outpatient services include the Partial Hospitalization
“
People are realizing that
psychiatric illnesses are diseases,
not a sign of weakness.
“”Bruce A. Wright, M.D.
h e a l t h s e r v i c e s f o r p e o p l e i n n e e d o f t r e a t m e n t .
program and the Intensive Outpatient program. Both of these
programs are designed as a possible alternative to an inpatient
stay for adults with acute psychiatric illness or can be beneficial
as a transition following an inpatient stay.
The Hospital’s Mental Health Consultation-Liaison program
provides comprehensive evaluation services for patients in St.
Clair’s Emergency Room who are identified as needing
psychiatric care or other crisis intervention.
In addition, the Hospital facilitates two support groups
in the community.
DOCTORASK THE
DR. CIVITARESE
Q: I’m hearing a lot about electronic healthrecords. What exactly are they and what are theadvantages for patients?
–Melissa, Robinson Township
A: An electronic health record (EHR) is acomprehensive electronic record of patient healthinformation. EHR is a technology that can providesignificant benefit to patients. Preferred PrimaryCare Physicians (PPCP), based at St. Clair Hospital,was one of the earliest adopters of EHR in WesternPennsylvania, and for more than six years, hasseamlessly integrated office and hospital recordsin a computerized database.
EHR allows physicians to: document and viewcomprehensive medical histories; order diagnostictesting and view the results; send electronicprescriptions to pharmacies; and view electronic alertsfor potentially harmful drug interactions or allergies.
There are even greater advantages for patientswith chronic conditions such as diabetes. EHRprovides physicians with sophisticated “decisionsupport” tools based on clinical guidelines. Forexample, physicians can be alerted when patientsare due for appointments or when lab results exceeddesired levels.
Additionally, EHR can connect the members ofyour health care “team.” Providers are able toelectronically send and receive test results and othermedical information as they consult with each otherabout your care. This puts the most accurate, currentand confidential medical information at yourprovider’s fingertips.
Finally, Internet-based tools connected to EHRallow patients to manage their own health information.
Dr. Louis A. Civitarese is a physician at St. Clair Hospital and is amember of Preferred Primary Care Physicians (PPCP), with offices inScott Township and McDonald. He received his medical degree fromthe Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is board-certified bythe American Board of Family Practice. Dr. Civitarese has served onmultiple committees for the national Certification Commission forHealth Information Technology (CCHIT).
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For more information, please call St. Clair Hospital Behavioral
and Mental Health Services at 412.942.4850.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
A Patient’s Path to RecoveryFor Samantha (not her real name), her entrée
into Behavioral and Mental Health Services at
St. Clair Hospital was precipitated by a host of stress-inducing
family issues, including a troubled marriage and, like so many
other Baby Boomers, with having to care for elderly parents.
“There were a lot of issues that I was dealing with at that
particular time,” Samantha recalls of summer 2007 when a deep
depression began to creep into her everyday life.
The private clinical psychologist Samantha was seeing at the
time suggested she enroll in the Partial Hospitalization program at
St. Clair. “She felt that at that particular moment in time, I needed
more intensive therapy than what I was going to be receiving from
her in one, 45-minute session per week,” Samantha says.
A teacher by profession, Samantha admits that she didn’t follow
the same advice she gives her students, which is to immerse
themselves in their studies in order to receive the most benefit.
“At the time, I really didn’t get what I could have out of the Partial
Hospitalization program, because I wasn’t fully embracing it.”
In 2008, having been diagnosed with major clinical depression,
she was treated in the Hospital’s inpatient unit, where she
participated in a “much more structured program” before
returning to the Partial Hospitalization program.
Samantha credits the dedication and professionalism of the staff of
S t . C l a i r H o s p i t a l ’ s E m e r g e n c y R o o m i s r a n k e d i n
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A Patient’s Path to RecoveryCONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
made on my own without conferring with my psychiatrist.”
But, she says, she found the Partial Hospitalization
program served as a “safety net” for her just when she
needed it most. “I found I could rely on St. Clair Hospital
and the staff to welcome me back to the program and
not ridicule or belittle me because I had a relapse and
had to come back to the program. That was heartwarming
to me that they did not make me feel that way.”
Today, Samantha is seeing a private therapist outside
the Hospital, but believes the veil of depression she was
living with has been lifted. “I am doing great. I feel the
cognitive behavior therapy that I went through in the
Partial Hospitalization program has helped me to look
at life and how to handle issues and stressors that
arise in my life in a more positive and
productive way.” She credits the good
connections she made with other
patients with helping her form a solid
support mechanism to fall back on.
Samantha agrees with Dr. Wright that
the stigma long associated with mental
illness is preventing people from getting
help. “When it comes to dealing with
mental health issues, the stigma of seeking
out help needs to be removed,” she says.
“Our society needs to realize that mental
health is the same as physical health. If
I had a broken bone, or diabetes, or had
suffered a heart attack, I would not
hesitate to seek out medical attention.
But people don’t seek out medical
attention for mental health issues because
we have stereotyped people who do go for
mental health or psychiatric help. But the
mind is part of the body that needs to be taken care of,
as well.” Based on her own experience, Samantha says,
“Don’t be afraid to reach out for help. There are so many
things that happen in our lives that we cannot handle on
our own. We need to rely on others to help us through
those issues.”
both programs with helping her make great strides toward
recovery. “I felt like I was treated like a human being and
not just another patient in a hospital,” she says. “The
staff in both the inpatient and the Partial Hospitalization
program at St. Clair are dedicated to their profession and
very dedicated to their patients. They wanted us to make
improvements and they encouraged us to do so.”
Also key to making progress was developing a level of
trust between not just herself and staff, but other patients
during group therapy. “When I was in therapy, I
wanted to be able to tell people what was going on so
they could help me. But you had to develop a level of
trust. And that was something I thought was definitely
developed at St. Clair,” Samantha says.
A combination of therapy and medication was helping
Samantha, but she suffered a relapse when she stopped
taking the prescribed doses of medication. “I made a big
mistake in going off my medication, a decision I had
DR. BRUCE WRIGHT (CENTER) CONFERS WITH BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTHCOLLEAGUES KIM FRITZ, R.N. AND ED WALSH, R.N.
BRUCE A.WRIGHT, M.D.Dr. Wright is Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at St. Clair Hospital. He isboard-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Psychiatry.He earned his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicineand completed his internship and residency at the University Health Center of PittsburghWestern Psychiatric Institute & Clinic.
t h e T o p 1 % n a t i o n w i d e i n p a t i e n t s a t i s f a c t i o n .
St. Clair Hospital’s ER is ranked among the top 1 percent of
hospitals nationwide, according to Press Ganey, an independent
health care research firm. The ranking is the result of input from
ER patients who were surveyed about their experiences by Press
Ganey. David Kish, executive director of Emergency Services and
Patient Logistics at the Hospital, attributes the superior ranking
to not only his staff, but all of the departments the ER interacts
with on a daily basis. The top satisfaction rating is truly a result
of BettER By Design.
Continuing to Reach Out to Haiti
St. Clair Hospital’s RankingsContinue to Rise
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In a fundraising drive spearheaded by the St.Clair Hospital Center for Women & Children,
the Hospital Auxiliary, and Volunteer Services, St. Clair Hospital employees and medical
staff donated almost $17,000 to purchase child sponsorships (meals and schooling),
live animals, rice, shade and fruit trees, medical supplies and more, for the people
of earthquake-ravaged Haiti. St. Clair Pediatrician and Medical Director of the Hospital’s
24-hour pediatrics unit, Dayle Griffin, M.D., (pictured), recently spent two weeks in Haiti
providing desperately needed medical care to children and adults and helping
purchase the child sponsorships, animals and supplies. Dr. Griffin has been
donating her medical expertise to the people of Haiti for more than a decade
and is planning to return in June. For information on assisting in the relief
efforts, visit www.friendsofhaiti.org.
Orthopedic CareCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
flipped the thumb of my left hand into the blade,” Darrin recalls
matter-of-factly. “As soon as it happened, I grabbed my thumb,
which was only attached by skin. The saw blade had gone right
up above the lower-most knuckle and up through the upper
knuckle, right to the nail bed. It looked like a pretty gory mess.
A real gory mess.”
Fortunately, Darrin did not panic and neither did his wife’s
cousin who was helping him with the late-night home remodeling
project. The cousin drove him to St. Clair Hospital’s Emergency
Room. Along the way, Darrin just held on to his thumb, which
much to his surprise, was not bleeding all that much. Still, he
fought to remain conscious so he could give driving directions
to the cousin, who was from out-of-town.
As soon as Darrin arrived at the ER, staff cleaned out the
wound, started an IV, and gave him medication to dull the pain.
That’s when Darrin started to think about his future, a future
that might include living without one of his thumbs, even though
it was on the ‘righty’s’ non-dominant hand.
Assessing The DamageBecause a thumb is responsible for an estimated 40 percent of
the function of the hand, losing one can drastically change a
person’s life, particularly for a man who uses his hands to make
a living and to participate in hobbies like woodworking, which
require a high degree of manual dexterity.
Fortunately for Darrin, the solution to this potentially life-
changing moment was on his way to the ER. The ER doctors had
contacted renowned hand specialist Christopher M. Manning, M.D.
at home. The South Hills resident got to the ER within minutes.
“I got a call that a patient had suffered a partial amputation of
his thumb,” Dr. Manning told HouseCall. “He had lost the majority
of the bone in the front part of his thumb. The good news was,
there was a nerve and an artery and some skin that was left behind
and it was likely that the thumb could be re-attached and saved.”
Saving The ThumbDespite Dr. Manning’s positive outlook, the damage the saw
inflicted to the bone presented a formidable challenge. The loss
of some bone meant that simply sewing the thumb back into
place would, most likely, result in a shorter thumb. But he had an
idea: Take a small piece of bone—maybe 3.5 to 4 centimeters in
length—from Darrin’s pelvis and use it to graft the thumb,
creating a long, stable post. He told Darrin he would know if he
had incorporated the structural bone graft into the procedure as
soon as Darrin woke up from surgery. “Dr. Manning said, ‘If
it hurts to walk when you get out of surgery, you’ll know I did the
bone graft,’” Darrin said, a slight smile crossing his face.
Dr. Manning said putting Darrin’s thumb back together was
actually “the easy part.” The hard part, he continued, was finding
enough skin to cover the thumb. “I had to do a soft tissue flap,
D r . M a n n i n g i s j u s t o n e o f n e a r l y 3 0 l e a d i n g o r t h 0 p e d i c
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A thumb is responsible for an
estimated 40 percent of the function
of the hand. Losing one can
drastically change a person’s life.
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week in the Hospital. Of course, visiting co-workers from the
private environmental company he works for couldn’t resist
ribbing him about his woodworking accident. “As a project
manager and someone who supervises some jobs, I’m focused
on worker safety,” Darrin said. “Yet, here I go whacking my
thumb off at home.”
Darrin said his rebuilt thumb was held together with pins
that protruded from a cast he wore for months.
Dr. Manning said the first two weeks following the surgery
were crucial to its success, with the most important element
being the healing of the skin flap. After that, it was just a matter
of waiting for the bone to heal.
“Darrin actually got his motion back rather quickly,” Dr.
Manning said. “Of course, we didn’t really expect a lot of motion
because I fused the bone. But the thumb doesn’t really need a
lot of motion. You just need a strong, stable, painless post that
you can use to grip and grab.”
Darrin estimated his thumb is already functioning at about
85 percent and he has no problems grasping or lifting heavy
objects. He admits he tries to avoid using a sledgehammer at
work, as the vibrations tend to “shock” his thumb a bit.
s p e c i a l i s t s w h o p r a c t i c e a t S t . C l a i r H o s p i t a l .
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
DARRIN KUHN AT HOME WITH WIFE, MARLA, AND THEIRDAUGHTER, RAEGAN, 21/2.
where we borrowed skin from the back of his hand and rotated it
to cover the thumb. Then we closed the flap on the donor site on
the back of his hand. That was the more difficult part of the
procedure—soft tissue coverage. But he came through really well.”
Dr. Manning said the procedure was probably not the most
technically difficult of his career, which has included mending a
host of serious hand injuries caused by saws, knives, wood
splitters, and various industrial machinery. But, he added,
Darrin’s case was “probably the most stressful.” That’s because it
involved a thumb of a young man who has many more years of
work ahead of him and needs two functioning thumbs.
Had the thumb, which Dr. Manning describes as “the most
important digit,” been completely amputated in the accident or
had it been so badly damaged it could not have been saved, he
still had a few options. “You can lengthen what’s left of the thumb
over time. It’s called osteogenesis, in which you grow new bone
over the course of a year. But that is a long time for someone
who works like Darrin does. You can also rotate an index finger
over, but that is done more often with children than adults. Or,
you can use the big toe.”
That’s right. Dr. Manning said there are cases where
surgeons have removed patients’ big toes and reattached
them to the hands to use as thumbs, another affirmation
of just how important it is to have two functioning thumbs.
A Time For HealingFollowing his surgery, Darrin had to stay off his feet for three
to four days while his pelvis and his thumb began to heal. The
35-year-old native of Tionesta, Forest County, spent almost a
CHRISTOPHER MANNING, M.D.is a leading hand and upper extremityspecialist. He is board-certified by theAmerican Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.He earned his medical degree at the Universityof Pittsburgh School of Medicine andcompleted his orthopedic residency andhand and upper extremity fellowship at theUniversity of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
G r o w i n g p a t i e n t v o l u m e i s d r i v i n g e x p a n s i o n
In an effort to accommodate growing patient volume,
St. Clair Hospital is constructing three new operating
rooms, set to open in September at its primary campus
in Mt. Lebanon. Currently, the Hospital performs more
than 11,000 surgical cases a year. That volume is
expected to increase in the future.
Each of the new ORs will be equipped with
state-of-the-art technology, including digital surgical
equipment and flat panel monitors mounted to the ceiling
via “booms,” which allow for easy access for OR medical
staff while optimizing space and eliminating potential
obstacles. The ORs’ integrated technology will feature
centralized, touch screen control of ergonomic medical
devices and environmental systems that, combined,
increase efficiency and productivity and, ultimately,
enhance patient comfort and safety. VEBH Architects
of Mt. Lebanon is the architect for the project. Massaro
Corporation of Pittsburgh is the primary contractor.
Estimated cost for the entire project is more than
$6 million.
The Hospital does not anticipate any interruption
to the existing ORs during construction. Because the
staging area for construction is near the entrance to the
Emergency Department, the Hospital is offering free
valet parking service for patients and visitors to the
Emergency Room. Signage is posted near the ER
entrance to direct drivers to the valet service, which is
available 24/7.
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Construction is Underway on Three New Operating Rooms
NOTED CARDIOVASCULAR SURGEON G. FREDERICK WOELFEL, M.D., (FAR RIGHT) AND HIS TEAM AT WORK IN THE OR.
OUTPATIENT CENTERCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
a n d r e n o v a t i o n s a t S t . C l a i r .
“Development of a new medical office building will better
serve St. Clair-affiliated physicians already in this vicinity,” said
Barry S. Zaiser, Senior Vice President of Strategic Development
at St. Clair. “The site is conveniently located, which will make our
clinical services more accessible to the increasing number of
patients seeking the Hospital’s care.”
The location formerly included a home improvement center
and a dance studio. The project is expected to break ground
later this year.
“The site is conveniently
located, which will make
our clinical services
more accessible...
–Barry S. Zaiser, Senior Vice Presidentof Strategic Development, St.Clair Hospital” Aerial view of the planned
outpatient center site.
The Hospital recently completed extensive renovations to patient and staff areas to brighten the space and improve access. Renovations includecompletely remodeled hallways and patient rooms on the Fifth Floor that now feature plenty of natural light and hardwood floors.
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T h e r a d i a l c a t h o f f e r s t w o m a j o r a d v a n t a g e s t o
Heart Patients Have Options for Catheterization
A patient undergoing a heart catheterization at St. Clair
Hospital now has the option of having the procedure
performed through the radial artery in the wrist instead of the
traditional femoral artery in the groin.
While entry through the femoral artery is still the most common
approach of the approximate 2,000 cardiac catheterizations
performed each year at St. Clair Hospital, Cardiologist Jeffrey M.
Friedel, M.D. says a so-called “radial cath” through the underside
of the wrist offers two major advantages.
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HeartHeart
AscendingaortaAscendingaorta Axillary
arteryAxillaryartery
BrachialarteryBrachialartery
Radialartery
“For a traditional heart cath through the femoral artery in the
groin, a patient often requires prolonged bed rest of 4 to 6 hours
following the procedure, especially if the patient undergoes
angioplasty or stent placement,” Dr. Friedel says.
“With a radial cath, you can remove the tube, place a small
bandage on the artery, secure it with a special, adjustable
wristband, and the patient can literally walk off the table. There
is no prolonged bed rest. This also holds true if the patient is on
long-term blood thinners, including Coumadin. Unlike traditional
Radial Catheterization Inserting a catheter through the radial arteryin the arm appears to be linked to a lower rate of bleeding complications than thestandard route through the groin.
The femoral artery presents a direct route to theheart. To a physican, it’s a straight stretch offreeway that can be navigated easily. Femoralcatheterizations have been performed formore than 30 years.
Femoral Catheterization
Radial Catheterization: A Closer Look
1. After a local anesthetic, the cardiologistplaces a small needle into the radial arteryof the wrist. This needle is smaller thanthose used for most routine bloodwork.
2. A thin wire is then placed through theneedle and into the artery,gaining“access” to the blood vessel.
3. Small tubes called catheters are thenplaced over the wire and up throughthe larger arteries of the arm andshoulder, and eventually into the aortaand heart arteries. Dye is then injectedinto the heart arteries and, if necessary,an angioplasty or stent procedureis performed.
4. At the conclusion of the procedure,all the equipment is removed and a"zip band" is applied to the wrist.The patient is able to sit up in a chair,as subsequent bedrest is not required.
CATHETERCATHETER
ARTERYARTERY
Guide Sheath
Cross section of arm
p a t i e n t s — s a f e t y a n d f a s t e r r e c o v e r y .
catheterizations via the femoral artery, you do not have to stop
Coumadin several days prior to the procedure.”
The other advantage is safety. Dr. Friedel says several studies
that compared the two methods showed that a catheterization
through the wrist offers up to a 75 percent reduction in bleeding
risk. “The radial artery is smaller, and if you do have bleeding, it
is much easier to control. The risk of blood vessel injury is also
less compared to the femoral approach.”
Dr. Friedel says a catheterization through the femoral artery
is still a very safe procedure and is the preferred method of most
cardiologists. In fact, today about 99 percent of the 1 million-plus
heart catheterizations done annually in the U.S. are performed
through the femoral artery.
But, Dr. Friedel adds, that is due in large part to the fact
that most invasive cardiologists were trained to do cardiac
catheterizations through the femoral artery and have become
very proficient at that method. There is a significant learning
curve for performing a radial cath, and it is not yet a standard
part of every training program.
What’s more, the original catheterization equipment was
larger. “Simply put, the tubes were too big to place into a small
artery in the wrist,” Dr. Friedel explains. “As the procedure
evolved, all of our equipment has gotten smaller and now the
tubes we use are only several millimeters in diameter and can
easily fit into most radial arteries.”
Dr. Friedel notes that, aside from the different access point
into the body, femoral and radial caths are very similar. “The
majority of the procedure is the same: injecting dye into the
coronary arteries (to detect blockages and other abnormalities),
doing an angioplasty (in which a small balloon is inflated inside
the artery to re-open blockages) and placing stents (small mesh
tubes used to keep the re-opened arteries from collapsing).
Dr. Friedel, who has been doing radial caths since 2001, says
the radial method is of particular benefit to patients with orthopedic
limitations, including severe back, leg and knee pain—people
who, in general, can’t lie flat for a prolonged period of time.
It’s also more comfortable for obese patients or patients with
significant lung problems. And, he says, it is an excellent
alternative for patients with significant blockages in the larger
arteries of the abdomen or lower legs.
Not every patient is a candidate for a radial cath, Dr. Friedel
says. The main prerequisite is good circulation in the wrist
arteries. A non-invasive test that takes seconds and is performed
at bedside can determine if a patient’s circulation is good enough
for a radial cath.
Of the approximate 400 cardiac catheterizations he performs
every year at St. Clair, Dr. Friedel says he does about 20 percent
through the radial artery. His goal is to increase that rate to
about 50 percent per year, approximately the same rate of radial
caths performed annually in Europe and Japan.
Other cardiologists performing radial caths at St. Clair are
Drs. Mark K. Greathouse, Adil Waheed, and John P. Girod.
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JEFFREY M. FRIEDEL,M.D.Cardiologist Dr.Jeffrey Friedel is board-certified in Interventional Cardiology,Cardiovascular Disease, Nuclear Cardiology, Internal Medicine andCardiac Computerized Tomography (CT) Angiography. At St. ClairHospital, he is Co-Director, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory;Director, Cardiac Rehabilitation Department; serves on the MedicalExecutive Committee; and is a founding member of the Hospital’s renownedDoor-To-Balloon team. Dr. Friedel earned his medical degree atPennsylvania State University College of Medicine. He completed hisinternship and residency at Allegheny General Hospital and was awardedfellowships in Interventional Cardiology, Cardiology and CategoricalInternal Medicine at Allegheny General Hospital.
1000 Bower Hill RoadPittsburgh, PA 15243
ST. CLAIR HOSPITAL
General & Patient Information412.942.4000
Physician Referral Service412.942.6560
Outpatient Center—Village Square412.942.7100
www.stclair.orgHouseCall is a publication of St. Clair Hospital. Articles are for
informational purposes and are not intended to serve as medical advice.
Please consult your personal physician.
Welcome to the latest issue of HouseCall.
This publication is produced by St. Clair Hospital and
is designed to keep you abreast of our latest services,
innovations, news and information. For your
convenience, HouseCall is available electronically
through our Web site, www.stclair.org.
Of course, we want your feedback on HouseCall,
so please consider dropping us an e-mail at
publicrelations@stclai
r.org or mailing your thoughts
to St. Clair Hospital, c/o Public Relations Dept.,
1000 Bower Hill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15243.
Thank you
About HouseCall
“ D r . M a n n i n g s a v e d m e f r o m a l i f e t i m e o f c h a l l e n g e s . ”D A R R I N K U H N
Excellent Care Close to HomeHe credits Dr. Manning with saving his thumb and helping him
avoid a lifetime of challenges that come with losing the hand’s
most essential digit. Darrin also had high praise for the staff at
St. Clair, who he described as “awesome.”
He said that, on the night of the accident, some friends and
relatives asked if he was going to transfer to a larger hospital
to have surgery. Darrin said he replied that his confidence in
Dr. Manning and the other medical staff convinced him that
St. Clair gave him the best shot at saving his thumb. And, oh,
yeah, “The parking is much better than in Oakland or
Downtown,” he said with a hearty laugh.
Dr. Manning said Darrin’s case helps reinforce the message
that St. Clair not only offers exemplary service and care in its
new Emergency Room, but that “We provide excellent care for
any type of orthopedic problem.”
Darrin took some time off from putting in hardwood floors at
his house, but surprisingly, has used the miter saw again since
the accident. “I had to. I had to finish the house!” Still, he admits
that the sight of the spinning saw in close proximity to his
surgically repaired thumb makes him nervous. “My heart rate
goes up a bit when the miter saw comes out.”
Orthopedic Care CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
To find an orthopedic doctor at St. Clair Hospital,
visit www.stclair.org.
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