Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute

Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute's Vascular Program is the first in the Kansas City metro and the state of Missouri to implant a new medicated, dissolvable vascular stent known as the Esprit BTK System. The FDA-approved Esprit BTK System is a first-of-its-kind dissolvable stent for people with limb-threatening blood clots below the knee. The stent is implanted through a catheter-based, minimally invasive procedure to open the blockage and delivers a drug called everolimus to heal the vessel until it is strong enough to remain open on its own, then the stent dissolves. Dr. Matthew Bunte, Medical Director of Saint Luke's Vascular Program, and Dr. Karthik Vamanan, Surgical Director, performed the first two procedures with their medical teams. "This new treatment option supports healing while reducing the risk of long-term complications," said Dr. Bunte. "We're excited to be able to offer our patients the latest technological advancements." Congratulations to the entire vascular clinical team on this milestone! #TeamSaintLukes 💙

Last week, Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute became the first in the region to perform a transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement using the FDA-approved EVOQUE valve. The tricuspid valve is one of four valves in the heart. It opens and closes to ensure that the blood moves in the right direction. When it does not close and seal well, blood flows backward from one chamber to another. When it is severe enough, patients might have symptoms of shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling, and weight loss. This condition was often difficult to treat—until now. The EVOQUE valve replaces the tricuspid valve without open-heart surgery, a revolutionary procedure in cardiology. Drs. Adnan Chhatriwalla, Keith Allen, David Skolnick, and Elizabeth Grier, along with their clinical team, performed the first two tricuspid valve replacements in the region. “Often referred to as the ‘forgotten valve,' we had limited treatment options for tricuspid valve disease," said Dr. Chhatriwalla. "As of today, Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute Valve Center of Excellence is the only program in the region to offer comprehensive valve disease care, including surgical therapies and transcatheter therapies, and that is hopeful for all our patients." Tricuspid valve intervention offers our patients new hope and is the next milestone in the treatment of valve disease. Led by Dr. Adnan Chhatriwalla, Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute Valve Center of Excellence is the region’s leader in the field of transcatheter heart valve intervention. In 2008, we performed the first transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedure in Kansas City. Through clinical trials and research, we helped establish this life-saving therapy as the new standard of care. A few years later we participated in the next landmark clinic trial, one that brought a transcatheter-based option for patients with a leaky mitral valve. Way to go, #TeamSaintLukes! 💙

The Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute team was the first in the region to perform transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement using the Edwards Evoque Valve. This device is commercially approved to virtually eliminate TR in this patient population and improve symptoms of heart failure. Congratulations to our structural program! Adnan Chhatriwalla, Keith Allen, David Skolnick, Liz Grier, Michael Main, Chetan Huded, Rachel Goodwin, Sarah Heavey, Anthony Hart, amagalski Dr. Anthony Magalski, Kyle Lehenbauer Saint Luke's Health System

Mikhail Kosiborod, MD, cardiologist at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute and vice president of research at Saint Luke's Health System, was named Luminary in Cardiometabolic Medicine at the 2024 Heart in Diabetes Conference in Philadelphia. Dr. Kosiborod was honored for his innovative leadership and unique contributions to better understanding the link between diabetes, obesity and heart disease, generating knowledge about novel treatments, and improving the quality of care for patients living with cardiometabolic conditions. “Throughout his career, Dr. Kosiborod has set the standard for excellence in academic medicine," Darren McGuire, MD, who presented the award, said. "As a result of his unwavering commitment to diabetes and cardiovascular disease research and clinical care, so many have benefitted from his successes and accomplishments, including ourselves, but most importantly patients living with diabetes." Congratulations to Dr. Kosiborod on this prestigious recognition! #TeamSaintLukes 💙

Last fall, Mikhail Kosiborod, MD, cardiologist at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute and co-director of Saint Luke's Michael & Marlys Haverty Cardiometabolic Center of Excellence, gained worldwide recognition with findings from his landmark clinical trial: Obese patients who use the weight-loss drug semaglutide can significantly reduce the effects of heart failure. In April, Dr. Kosiborod announced the results of a second trial, which showed semaglutide also proves effective in treating patients with Type 2 diabetes. As the Ben McCallister, MD, Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Research, Dr. Kosiborod's findings illuminate the importance of research for Saint Luke's and the entire medical community. Your support of our mission is a direct investment in the brilliant minds who are revolutionizing medicine. For the health of our community, our region, our country, and the world, thank you for investing in the research taking place at Saint Luke's. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3UzYyFZ

Heart failure doesn't mean your heart doesn't work—but it does mean your heart isn't functioning as effectively as it should. “I describe it as an inefficiency of the heart,” says Dr. Bethany Austin, co-medical director of the Heart Failure Program and Heart Failure Quality at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute. “Heart failure means your heart needs some help doing its normal job.” Consumer Reports recently spoke to Dr. Austin and Austin Workman, an exercise specialist at Saint Luke's, about what the approximately 6.7 million Americans living with heart failure can do to improve and maintain their quality of life. Read their five recommendations here: https://bit.ly/3JJtm1V

Ted (left) watched The Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl LVII from a hospital bed at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute. He was Saint Luke's 967th heart transplant recipient and was still recovering from a successful procedure. Jacques (right), a transplant nurse and one of Ted's biggest fans, was at the game and surprised Ted by gifting him a Super Bowl Championship flag from the stadium. Earlier this year, Ted traveled to Las Vegas to attend Super Bowl LVIII in person to celebrate the one-year anniversary of his new heart. The Chiefs won again, and Ted came back to return the favor by giving Jacques his own Super Bowl Championship flag. Everyone is a champion here! ❤️ #DonateLifeMonth

Missouri Representative Emily Weber (District 24), visited Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute to congratulate and commend Saint Luke's Muriel I. Kauffman Women’s Heart Center on 30 years of prioritizing and advocating for women’s heart health. Rep. Weber, who represents Jackson County, presented the team with a State Resolution commemorating this milestone. Saint Luke's Muriel I. Kauffman Women's Heart Center is dedicated to defining novel research that addresses women’s cardiovascular conditions—that often have more questions than research-supported answers and guidelines—that extend across a woman’s lifespan. Thank you, Rep. Weber!

Dr. Mikhail Kosiborod, Vice President of Research at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute, recently presented the results of a groundbreaking clinical trial that he led, during the American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions in Atlanta, Georgia. The trial demonstrated that the drug semaglutide – commonly known as Ozempic or Wegovy – significantly improves obesity-related heart failure in patients with Type 2 diabetes. Patients with this type of heart failure experience a high burden of symptoms but have few available treatments. The study was simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Read more: https://bit.ly/3UcPdoI

Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute is advancing vascular care as we know it once again. Dr. Anthony Grieff (center), a vascular surgeon, and his team recently performed Kansas City's first procedure with the newly FDA-approved DETOUR System to treat peripheral artery disease. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a condition in the circulatory system where a blockage in the artery reduces blood flow to the limbs, making it painful to walk. When left untreated, it can lead to amputation. The DETOUR System offers a minimally invasive solution to bypass the blockage. "While traditional bypass surgery is effective, patients would spend days in the hospital with big incisions and spend several months recovering," said Dr. Grieff. "The DETOUR procedure allows us to accomplish the same procedure using only a needle poke with no significant recovery time. Patients often go home the same day." Thanks to this new procedure, PAD patients can be pain-free faster. Congratulations to Dr. Grieff and his team! #TeamSaintLukes 💙