Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute Archives

Embolism not about to change young singer’s tune

Sep. 12, 2013—As a member of the Tune Town Show Chorus, 20-year-old Kyla Hallums was used to belting out songs and thought it strange when she became short of breath on Sept. 1.

Heart Institute hits ventricular assist device milestone

Aug. 22, 2013—Cardiac surgeons recently performed Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute’s 100th ventricular assist device (VAD) implant.

‘Envelope’ reduces cardiac implant infections

Aug. 8, 2013—Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute is the first in the United States to use a new fully resorbable “envelope” that encloses implantable cardiac devices, such as pacemakers and internal cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), and helps prevent surgical site infections.

New technique eases stroke risk for atrial fibrillation patients

Aug. 1, 2013—People with the most common irregular heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation (AF) are at greater risk for stroke due to the formation of clots in the left atrial appendage (LAA), a small pouch which empties blood into the left atrium.

Technology allows bedside look inside patients’ hearts

Jul. 18, 2013—Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute physicians are taking advantage of new technology in critical care that allows them to quickly visualize the patient’s heart at the bedside.

VHVI repository helps define cardiac disease mechanisms

May. 9, 2013—Peggi Angel, Ph.D., research instructor in Biochemistry, studies congenital aortic valve stenosis in children. It’s a disease where the heart valve, which is normally very thin, becomes bloated with extracellular matrix. This occurs rapidly in some children but not in others.

Cardiovascular Research Day

Apr. 25, 2013—During Cardiovascular Research Day, keynote speaker Sekar Kathiresan, M.D., second from left, associate professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, visits with Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute’s Sergio Fazio, M.D., Ph.D., left, MacRae Linton, M.D., Thomas Wang, M.D., David Harrison, M.D., and Dan Roden, M.D.

Study takes ‘cool’ approach to reducing heart attack damage

Apr. 25, 2013—Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute is participating in a clinical study to further evaluate the safety and feasibility of rapidly lowering the body’s temperature to significantly reduce the amount of damage caused by a heart attack.

Wang to lead Division of Cardiovascular Medicine

Apr. 18, 2013—Thomas Wang, M.D., has joined Vanderbilt as director of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and the physician-in-chief of the Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute.

Patient undergoes surgical first to treat his arrhythmia

Apr. 11, 2013—The state of Michael Stanbery’s health was shocking.

VUMC testing new payment system for Medicare patients

Mar. 14, 2013—Over the next three years, Medicare will test a new payment arrangement that rewards participating hospitals when Medicare patients require fewer inpatient and post-discharge services, but extracts financial penalties when patients require more of these services.