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Division of Cardiology
History
- Chang Gung Medical Foundation Kaohsiung Branch and its
Cardiology Department were founded on January 1, 1986 under
supervision of Dr. Wu Yen-chun, Dr. Yeh Kuo-ho, and Dr.Tsai
Hui-ling transferred from Cardiology Department, Northern
Branch.
- In July 1986, Cardiac Catheterization Room was
established. It is the first Cardiac Catheterization Room
that specializes in cardiology in Taichung and the south of
Taichung.
- At the end of 1987, Dr. Fu Mao-Young was transferred from
Northern Branch and appointed as the Department Director.
- In October 1988, the hospital engaged in interventional
therapies such as Percutaneous Coronary Intervention. In
January 1993, new cardiac catheters became available in the
department, laying solid foundation for interventional
cardiac catheterization therapy.
- In August 1998, the third Cardiac Catheterization Room was
established.
Education and
Training
Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty, PTCA: In
addition to drug therapy and surgical bypass, PTCA is a
surgical procedure used to treat patients with diseased
arteries of the heart. This surgical procedure involves only
local anesthesia in the groin and threading a slender
balloon-tipped tube – a catheter through the narrowed
coronary artery. The balloon catheter is then inserted to
dilate the lumen. Moreover, the department also engages in
Directional Coronary Atherectomy and Rotational Coronary
Atherectomy to effectively remove plaques when treating
different types of coronary artery diseases.
Also, coronary stenting effectively reduces the reoccurrence
rate of nidus narrowing. Cardiology Department of Chang Gung
Medical Foundation Kaohsiung Branch introduced this therapy
in 1990 and has effectively used it to treat over 4,000
patients with a success rate of 93% and surgical
complication rate of only 1.2% (0.3%mortality rate, 0.46%
Q-wave myocardial infarction, 0.54% emergency bypass
surgery) and such medical success is in line with medical
centers in Europe and the United States. In 1998, there were
1,000 patients qualified for Percutaneous Transluminal
Coronary Angioplasty, PTCA. The department is equipped with
three catheter machines and has seven heart surgeons and six
professional technicians who standby 24 hours a day to offer
prompt treatment for patients with acute heart diseases.
Current profile
There is 1 director, 24 attending physicians (one of them
transferred to Golden Hospital of Pintung, one to Feng-Shan
Hospital of Kaohsiung County, and one studying aboard), and
4 researchers. There is an average of 250 outpatient visits
per day, 10 beds from Cardiac ICU and 67 from general wards,
four units of Color Dopplar Echocardiography in the Echo
Room where Transesophageal Echocardiography, TEE is
performed, Treadmill Exercise Tests, portable cardiogram
monitors, 24 hours Holter EKG, etc.
The Peripheral Vascular Room provides peripheral vascular
disease related examinations including peripheral
arterial-venous ultrasonography and the three cardiac
catheterization rooms in the department offer the most
advanced examination and treatment. It also boasts
breakthrough development of interventional catheterization
in which a balloon catheter is used to dilate the narrow
mitral valve of patients with Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD)
mitral stenosis.
Interventional therapies such as Percutaneous Transluminal
Coronary Angioplasty, PTCA and Rotational Atherectomy have
been developed for patients with coronary artery diseases.
At present, coronary stenting development is still
undergoing. Catheterization examination has been performed
over 1,800 times annually and Percutaneous Coronary
Intervention has been performed over 900 times on patients.
The hospital has without a doubt become one of the major
institutions for interventional cardiac catheterization in
Taiwan and one of the medical centers capable of performing
percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, PTCA on
patients suffering from acute myocardial infarction. Other
than routine catheterization examinations, coronary
angiography and interventional therapy, our department is
also keenly interested in cardiac electrophysiology study
and arrhythmia treatment and study despite our late start in
related development. On the other hand, with the over 500
people who have received treatment, we believe catheter
ablation used to treat Tachyarrhythmia and artificial
pacemakers used to treat Brady arrhythmia have been proven
to be quite effective.
Research and Development
Our department engages mainly in services and teaching as
well as clinical research. In terms of research, we are the
most experienced in treating RHD mitral stenosis in the
world by dilating the narrow mitral valve with a balloon
catheter.
For this, we have released numerous publications that have
drawn worldwide attention. Our department currently engages
in disease and usage of thrombolytic agents used to treat
patients with myocardial infarction. We also actively engage
in the development of direct PTCA, the latest treatment
available to patients with acute myocardial infarction.
No other hospital in Taiwan offers 24-hour treatment the way
we do. Our hospital has successfully treated 300 patients.
Our interventional therapy team also actively engages in the
development of transradial approach cardiac catheterization
to reduce treatment costs and duration of hospitalization
once it is applied in outpatient service. So far, 200
patients have undergone such treatment. In addition to the
traditional Transthoracic Echocardiography and
transesophageal Endocardiography, our department is also
actively involved in the development of intra-cardiac
echography, ICE and its clinical applications. We hope to
become one of the leaders in this area with our many
publications, reports, and pioneering research work.
Our department has been selected many times to partake in
programs of National Science Council and our hospital.
Prospective
Located in Kaohsiung, Cardiology Department demonstrates
great potential for development. Since there are few large
medical centers in the vicinity, our Department’s spacious
layout and access to abundant resources for clinical
research explain why so many patients choose us. We are
equipped with world-class medical equipment to perform
examination and treatment of any kind. Although our doctors
are relatively younger, they display excellent qualities for
future success. Other than teamwork in the harmonious
environment, we also continue to introduce the latest
equipment and technology to strengthen our services to
patients. We are currently partaking in clinical research
such as programs of Science Research Council and our
hospital. Other than clinical research, we hope to engage in
animal testing or other basic research in the future. We
look forward to what’s in store for us!
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