First Angioplasty Performed At Hamilton Medical Center
6/8/2006

Keith Jennings
706.272.6118

Dalton, GA – On Tuesday, June 6, Dalton Cardiologist Bates Bailey, MD, performed the first coronary angioplasty/stent at Hamilton Medical Center. The procedure is part of Hamilton’s participation in Georgia’s C-PORT program.

“The procedure was successful,” reported Dr. Bailey. “Hamilton’s team in the Cardiac Cath Lab demonstrated that they have the training and focus necessary to successfully participate in this program.”

According to Hamilton’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab, the stent procedure took approximately 35 minutes to perform. The patient, Elbert Cleghorn of LaFayette, was under the care of Dalton Cardiologist Stephen Rohn, MD, and was discharged home on Wednesday.

Dr. Rohn, who was present during the procedure, said, “It’s very rewarding as a physician to have the opportunity to move beyond diagnosis and offer my patients the treatment made possible through the C-PORT program.”

The Cardiovascular-Patient Outcomes Research Team (C-PORT), led by Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, is providing administrative overview and training for the Georgia program. Hamilton Medical Center was selected as one of 10 Georgia hospitals to participate in a national program that will allow hospitals without an open-heart surgery program to perform angioplasty for its patients.

Angioplasty is a procedure that uses insertion of a special balloon to open blocked arteries in the heart. Not considered surgery, angioplasty been proven to be safely performed on heart attack victims at well-equipped hospitals without cardiac surgery departments.

“This is a significant step forward for Hamilton,” said President and CEO John Bowling. “We consider it a privilege to offer this potentially life-saving treatment to the northwest Georgia region.”

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