St. Dominic's Mississippi Heart and Vascular Institute Launches Nation's First and Only Center of Excellence for Complex Heart Procedures

April 11, 2023

JACKSON, Miss. – St. Dominic’s Mississippi Heart and Vascular Institute has been named host site for the nation’s first and only Center of Excellence for Complex Heart Procedures.

St. Dominic Hospital and Jackson Heart Clinic cardiologists, Brett Bennett, MD and Russell Young, MD, are successfully treating fully blocked coronary arteries known as Chronic Total Occlusions (CTOs) with minimally invasive techniques and devices. Historically, totally blocked arteries have been addressed by heart bypass surgery or treated with prescription drugs.

Dr. Brett Bennett’s first patient was treated on January 12, 2018, using techniques and technology from Boston Scientific, and was released from the hospital the next day. Since then, Drs. Bennett and Young have completed more than 700 procedures at St. Dominic’s.

“These unique devices require new techniques and specialized training. We are now among a select group of hospitals and programs nationwide to work with Boston Scientific to develop advanced skills with these devices,” stated Dr. Brett Bennett, Jackson Heart Clinic cardiologist. “Chronic total occlusions previously had very limited treatment alternatives beyond medical management or surgery, and we are pleased to be able to bring specific, innovative devices and additional treatment options to our patients and our community.”

One-third of patients referred for coronary angiography have at least one totally blocked artery. CTOs affect the survival and quality of life of hundreds of thousands of people and have historically been an untreatable condition for many patients. While some are treated with bypass surgery, 60% of patients with CTOs are treated only with prescription drugs.1

St. Dominic’s Mississippi Heart and Vascular Institute sees these techniques and devices as an alternative to medical management and a way to improve the quality of life for its patients with CTOs.

“St. Dominic’s Mississippi Heart and Vascular Institute has supported leading-edge cardiac care in central Mississippi for more than 50 years,” shared Scott Kashman, market president and CEO, St. Dominic Health Services & St. Dominic Hospital. “This Center of Excellence continues a rich tradition and commitment to ensuring that Mississippi’s heart patients have access to the highest level of care right here at home.”

The hospital has established a CTO Program to address this complex form of coronary artery disease, including in-depth physician training from Boston Scientific on the CrossBoss™ and Stingray™ Coronary CTO Crossing and Re-entry System. These devices enable physicians to treat lesions more successfully and efficiently using minimally invasive techniques. They are currently the only devices for subintimal re-entry on the market that are FDA-cleared to specifically treat coronary CTOs.

About St. Dominic’s Mississippi Heart and Vascular Institute
The Mississippi Heart and Vascular Institute (MHVI) at St. Dominic’s is the top provider of cardiac, vascular and venous services in Central Mississippi. For more than five decades, this leading institute has provided the most advanced treatment options available to patients. Our physicians are nationally known for using the most advanced technology and procedures and for their clinical excellence in delivering patient care. From minimally invasive cardiac treatment to complicated and very specialized valve repairs, our providers stay focused on the patient experience and the care they receive.

St. Dominic Hospital is a 571-bed tertiary care hospital located in Jackson, Mississippi, serving all of central Mississippi and employing approximately 3,000 team members including nurses, physicians and skilled caregivers. The medical staff of nearly 500 leading physicians and specialists makes St. Dominic’s one of the most comprehensive hospitals in Mississippi. Through more than seven decades, St. Dominic’s has remained true to its vision. We are a Christian healing community called to provide quality, compassionate care and an exceptional experience every time. St. Dominic’s is part of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System and is driven by its mission to serve all God’s people, especially those most in need. Learn more at https://www.stdom.com/services/mississippi-heart-and-vascular-institute/.

Background on Coronary Artery Disease and Chronic Total Occlusions (CTOs)
Heart disease is responsible for 1 in every 4 deaths in the United States and is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart disease, killing more than 610,000 people annually. Each year, coronary artery disease costs the United States an estimated $200 billion in health care services and medications.2

Coronary CTOs are commonly encountered complex lesions defined as >99% blocked for 3 months or more and are responsible for clinically significant decrease in blood flow (TIMI 0-1). They are identified in up to one-third of patients referred for coronary angiography.3 Patients suffering from CTOs are frequently treated with medication or bypass surgery. Many patients are told that nothing can be done to open their CTO using minimally invasive angioplasty techniques.

Now, thanks to Boston Scientific’s CrossBoss™ and Stingray™ Crossing and Re-entry devices and the implementation of a hybrid approach to CTO, Interventional Cardiologists are achieving procedural success rates as high as 94 percent, and average procedural times have decreased to under 90 minutes with complication rates as low as non-CTO angioplasty.

1 Multiple studies indicate that approximately one-third of patients undergoing angioplasty are found to have at least one totally occluded artery, including Thompson ACC i2 2009 and NHLBI Dynamic Registry and BARI Study as per Srinivas et al Circulation 2002

2 Brown JC, Gerhardt TE, Kwon, E. Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease. 2021.

3 Multiple studies indicate that approximately 31% of patients undergoing angioplasty are found to have at least one totally occluded artery, including Thompson ACC i2 2009 and NHLBI Dynamic Registry and BARI Study as per Srinivas et al Circulation 2002

4 Daniels, D. The Hybrid Approach: Maximizing Efficiency and Success in the Complex Lesions

Meredith Bailess, St. Dominic’s,  meredith.bailess@fmolhs.org
Elizabeth Lacoste, Jackson Heart Clinic, elacoste@JacksonHeart.com