EAST STROUDSBURG - Recently, Pocono Medical Center (PMC) physicians and staff were involved in the first ever MedEvac STEMI case brought to PMC. The patient was brought into the PMC Emergency Department (ED) via helicopter, where the Cardiac Catherization (Cath) Lab staff were waiting. The flight nurse provided a direct report to the Cardiac Cath Lab nurse while the patient was being registered in the ED and the confirmatory EKG was being reviewed by the ED physician.

The entire process shaved off 20 minutes of flight time by bringing the patient to PMC rather than having to travel to another hospital outside of the area.

“This new development demonstrates to the residents of our region who may face a heart attack that they will be treated rapidly and receive world-class care close home,” said Kathleen E. Kuck, President and CEO of Pocono Health System/Pocono Medical Center. The period from hospital arrival to angioplasty is called “door-to-balloon” time and the national guidelines say this should be done in 90 minutes or less.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and the second leading cause of death in Monroe County. Heart attacks are caused by clogged arteries that prevent oxygen and blood from reaching the heart. If the blockage can be fixed, it would be done in the Cardiac Cath Lab. This procedure is known as angioplasty, which involves the insertion of a tube through an artery to the clot. An inflated tiny balloon is used to flatten it and then a mesh prop, called a stent, is placed to keep the artery open and restore blood flow. There are times when the coronary anatomy indicates that Open Heart Surgery would be the best course of treatment for the patient. In these cases, our Cardiac Surgeons would be consulted.

Over the past three years, PMC has been working closely with area EMS professionals so that the 12-lead EKGs they perform prior to ED arrival can be utilized to alert the physicians of a possible heart attack. This then enables the Interventional Cardiologist and the Cardiac Cath team to have early notification and be ready for the patient sooner. There has also been a concerted effort to further educate the community to call 911 when facing symptoms of heart attacks. Please remember to visit PoconoHealthSystem.org to learn more about PMC’s nationally recognized ESSA Heart and Vascular Institute.