by DrCiuffo | Feb 5, 2020 | Articles, Blog, Dr. Giovanni B Ciuffo, Heart Health, Heart Surgery, Minimally Invasive Heart Surgeons, Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery, Uncategorized
What is a Pulse Deficit? The concept of a pulse deficit can be both confusing and frightening if you’re not a member of the medical community, but it has a direct bearing on the health of your heart and can be life threatening if not treated properly and allowed to get worse. It sounds confusing, but is quite simple. When your heart beats, it sends blood through the arteries of your body. This produces a noticeable pulse which can be felt. Normally these two events are in synch, but it is when they are not in synch, the pulse and the beat of your heart, that problems can arise. What Causes a Pulse Deficit? There are several causes for a pulse deficit, some of which are not necessarily indicators of heart disease, such as heavy exercise. Other causes of a pulse deficit are not so innocent, however, and can include low blood pressure, periods of extreme anxiety or stress, extended periods of chronic pain, and bodily injury or trauma, including blood loss. What happens when there is a pulse deficit is that when the heart beats, but there is no pulse of blood that comes after. This creates a pulse deficit. How is it Treated? Observing that someone has a pulse deficit is fairly straightforward. A doctor or nurse listens to your chest with a stethoscope and notes the heartbeat, but when they attempt to take your pulse, do not notice the same number of pulse beats. The symptoms of pulse deficit include a noticeably decreased resting heart rate and a long-term consistent history of having a different resting... by DrCiuffo | Jan 30, 2020 | Articles, Blog, Dr. Giovanni B Ciuffo, Heart Health, Heart Surgery, Minimally Invasive Heart Surgeons, Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery, Uncategorized
LIMA LAD is a life-saving procedure for your heart. What LIMA LAD does is open your heart’s blood flow by involving two different arterys. These are the left internal mammary artery and the left anterior descending artery, or LIMA LAD for short. This minimally invasive procedure results in a tiny scar that hides under the fold in your breast. What Do The LIMA LAD Organs Do? Your LAD is meant for being able to carry your blood around the heart. It does this by traveling between your right ventricle at the front of your heart and the left as well. When blocked, blood can’t make its way to its appropriate destination. When this happens, it means your heart struggles as well. The LIMA, on the other hand, is on the heart’s left side. When blockages settle in the vessels around your heart due to heart disease, it puts a strain on your heart. That, in turn, will keep your heart from pumping the way that it should. When you can receive a heart surgery that is both bloodless and invasive on a minimal level, it will create a new route for your blood to flow. A catheter will be placed into the area of the blockage, and it has a balloon tip. The balloon is inflated to stretch the vessel gently. When it does this, it will release the blockage. What Benefit Do We Receive from a Minimally Invasive Surgery? When you have minimally invasive surgery, particularly a bloodless one, the procedure is low impact and one of the best options. With these new techniques being adopted, the... by DrCiuffo | Aug 17, 2018 | Blog, LIMA LAD, Minimally Invasive, Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery
What is LIMA to LAD? LIMA LAD is a life-saving coronary artery bypass procedure that involves the left internal mammary artery and the left anterior descending artery. It opens the heart’s blood flow, saving the life of the patient. Left Internal Mammary Artery The left internal mammary artery, or LIMA, is located on the left side of the heart. Often, fatty deposits and other blockages settle in the vessels around the heart due to heart disease. This blockage puts a strain on the heart and prevents it from pumping efficiently. Minimally invasive bloodless heart surgery that creates a new route for the blood flow can be a lifesaving procedure. A thin catheter with a balloon tip is inserted into the area of blockage. The balloon is inflated to gently stretch the vessel and release the blockage. Left Anterior Descending The left anterior descending artery, also known as the LAD, is the most important blood vessel in the heart, traveling between the left and right ventricles at the front of the heart. It carries life-giving blood around the heart. Without the ability to freely flow through this critical pathway, blood cannot make its way around the body to carry oxygen and nutrients. LIMA LAD Dr. Ciuffo offers a minimally invasive version o the LIMA to LAD procedure that results in a small scar easily hidden under the fold of the breast. If you or a loved one is interested in minimally invasive heart surgery and may be a candidate for LIMA to LAD surgery, contact our office for your...
