FOR RELEASE
May 21, 2012
HICKORY, NC –This past Friday, Dr. Luke J. Byrnes and the team at
Catawba Valley Medical Center’s Heart Catheterization Lab performed
the region’s first-ever radial heart catheterization – a revolutionary
diagnostic and treatment technique for coronary artery disease. This innovative
method, which goes through the wrist as opposed through the femoral artery
in the groin, reduces recovery times, bruising, and the risk of severe bleeding.
Although the traditional method has been widely successful since the 1950s,
it can be problematic, especially in obese patients or those with circulatory
problems. Occasionally, it has been linked to heavy bleeding. Two recent
studies in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and The American
Heart Journal compared outcomes for nearly 600,000 catheterizations over
a 28-year period. Both reports found more than a 70% reduction in bleeding
and shorter hospital stays for those patients who underwent radial procedures.
“When appropriate, the radial method is extremely convenient for
the patient,” said Dr. Byrnes. “Post-operative bed rest isn’t
necessary and unless patients requested sedatives, they can right themselves
and walk to the recovery room. Since there are no activity restrictions,
patients can go back to doing the things they love the very next morning.”
Dr. Byrnes joined Catawba Valley Cardiology in April of this year and is
board certified in internal medicine, nuclear cardiology, adult comprehensive
echocardiography, cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology.
As both an interventional and clinical cardiologist, he is able to help
prevent, diagnose and treat a wide range of cardiac diseases.
After graduating from New York Medical College in 2003, Dr. Byrnes completed
an internal medicine internship and residency at St. Vincent’s Hospital
in Manhattan, followed by fellowships in both cardiology and interventional
cardiology. He earned both Level II and III certifications with over 300
interventional procedures performed. Prior to joining the staff at CVMC,
Dr. Byrnes worked as an interventional cardiologist at Meadville Medical
Center, in Meadville, PA. He is a member of the American College of Cardiology
and is bi-lingual in English and Spanish.
ABOUT CATAWBA VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER
Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory, N.C., is the region’s largest
not-for-profit, public healthcare system and serves the community without
direct funding from taxes. CVMC provides and promotes physical, mental,
emotional and spiritual well-being of the public in addition to serving
as a center for health education, wellness services, preventive medicine
and acute care. CVMC has received three Magnet designations from the American
Nurses Credentialing Center and has been recognized for providing “An
Outstanding Inpatient Experience” for a fourth consecutive year
by J.D. Power and Associates. For more information, please visit
http://www.catawbavalleymedical.org.