MDNews - Greater Boston

speCial Feature Launches New Structural Heart Program S outhcoaSt health SyStem has already demonstrated its commitment to locally offering a wide array of cardiovascular services. In fact, the Southcoast Cardiovascular Services portfolio includes open heart procedures, cardiac catheterizations, coronary angioplasty and cardiac implantable devices. Now, it is stepping up its capabilities even more by starting a new Structural Heart Program. Leading Southcoast Health System's new Structural Heart Program is Adam Saltzman, MD, who joined Southcoast this past spring. A cardiologist, Dr. Saltzman will serve as Medical Director of the Structural Heart Program. Board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular medicine and interventional cardiology, Dr. Saltzman is a specialist in catheter-based complex coronary interventions and valve procedures, as well as transcatheter therapies for congenital heart disease. He is a graduate of the Tufts University School of Medicine and completed his residency in internal medicine at Columbia University, where he was a Chief Resident. He completed a fellowship in cardiovascular medicine at Columbia University and completed fellowships in interventional cardiology and structural heart disease at Massachusetts General Hospital before joining Southcoast. the structural heart Program at southcoast provides each patient with a specialized treatment plan developed by a multidisciplinary cardiac team — including cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and support staff — that works together with the referring physician. 12 | Greater Boston MD News ■ mdnewS.com "Southcoast has positioned itself to develop a strong cardiovascular program through support of a strong leadership team," Dr. Saltzman says. "We have first-class cardiovascular surgeons and electrophysiologists, as well as a great director overseeing the cath lab. They are all helping to position our cardiac program to deliver the best care available. The Structural Heart Program is another component of that." The Southcoast Structural Heart Program is the only of its kind in the region. Not only that; it is one of just a few dedicated structural heart programs in New England. "Care for structural heart disease is rapidly emerging. It is the management of heart disease that may not involve coronary arteries or the electrical system of the heart," Dr. Saltzman says. "We are able to open areas, such as tight valves or a narrowing of the aorta or pulmonary veins or arteries, using balloons or stents. We also close holes, such as patent foramen ovales, atrial septal defects and left atrial appendages. Southcoast has taken a forward-thinking approach by developing the only program of this nature in southeastern Massachusetts." The patients who will benefit from the new program are those suffering from structural heart diseases, such as valvular disease, congenital heart disease, connective tissue disease and complex coronary disease. Now, individuals afflicted with those Photos © ryan riChardson By eric slack

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