Lex Med Blog

Lexington Medical Center’s cardiovascular program has earned an overall three-star rating for heart surgery from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS). Historically, less than 10 percent of heart programs in the United States and Canada achieved this prestigious designation, which recognizes quality patient and clinical outcome excellence. It’s the highest rating offered.

LMC began its complete cardiac care program in 2012 with expectations to perform about 100 open heart surgeries each year. But the program has far exceeded expectations. To date, LMC has performed more than 2,575 open heart surgeries – an average of 368 surgeries each year. As reflected in the three-star rating, patients have experienced excellent outcomes.

“The STS three-star rating is a prestigious accomplishment. It signifies a clear separation in quality from other programs,” said Jeffrey A. Travis, MD, of Lexington Cardiovascular Surgery. “We are honored to receive this designation again, and it represents a total team effort at Lexington Medical Center to provide the highest level of cardiac care to the Midlands.”

The STS rating system is one of the most sophisticated and highly regarded overall measures of quality in health care, rating the benchmarked outcomes of cardiothoracic surgery programs across the United States and Canada. STS ranked LMC in the highest quality tier for 2018 after surveying more than 1,000 participating programs. The latest analysis of data for coronary artery bypass grafting procedures covered a one-year period, from January 1 to December 31, 2018.

“As the cardiovascular surgery outcomes coordinator, I view all our registry data on a daily basis. It is an honor and a privilege to be part of a team invested in making Lexington Medical Center the gold standard for cardiovascular care,” said Lisa Pittman, RN, BSN.

LMC has continued to build its heart program by offering a variety of new services, including transcatheter aortic valve replacement, known as TAVR. This state-of-the-art cardiovascular technology allows doctors to replace the aortic valve in patients without open heart surgery.

In addition, LMC has started to use insertable cardiac monitors, commonly known as loop recorders, to monitor heart rhythms around the clock. While versions of this technology have been available for years, new loop recorders are as small as a paper clip and require an incision of just a few millimeters. LMC also has an electrophysiology lab to treat patients with abnormal heart rhythms.

Importantly, quality oversight has been part of LMC’s affiliation with Duke Health for cardiovascular care. Twice each year, Duke cardiologists and heart surgeons come to LMC to review heart surgery and catheterization cases with physicians. The Duke Health physicians also provide ongoing peer review and evaluate new procedures for both the open heart and Catheterization Lab programs. When the hospital performs new procedures for the first time, a Duke representative is usually present for support.

LMC’s work with cardiovascular care doesn’t end with procedures and technology. It extends into the community with a comprehensive heart education program that teaches people about risk factors, prevention and cardiac technology. This outreach is especially important in South Carolina, where one out of every three people dies from cardiovascular disease.

Benefits of Peaches

Prevent Cancer

• Peaches are rich in phenolic and carotenoid compounds, which possess anti-tumor and anti-cancer properties.
• The chlorogenic and neochlorogenic acids present in peaches inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells without affecting normal cells.
• Peaches are rich in beta-carotene, providing protective effects against lung cancer.

Aid in Digestion

• The alkaline content and fiber in peaches are good for maintaining digestive health.
• Dietary fiber in peaches absorbs water and helps prevent stomach disorders such as constipation, hemorrhoids, stomach ulcers, gastritis and irregular bowel movements.
• They cleanse and eliminate toxic waste from the intestines and prevent the body from contracting various abdominal disorders, including stomach cancer.
• Peaches also help dissolve kidney and bladder stones.

Useful in Pregnancy

• The vitamin C in peaches helps in the growth of healthy bones, teeth, skin, muscles and blood vessels of the baby. It also helps in the absorption of iron.
• The folate in peaches helps prevent neural tube defects.
• Potassium in peaches helps avert muscle cramps and general fatigue.

 

Other health benefits of peaches include relief from hypokalemia, obesity, cholesterol and blood stasis, and a boost cardiac health and neurodegenerative diseases. They also help with eye care, skin care, and maintaining a healthy nervous system, bones and teeth.

 

Cook with Peaches

Indian-Spiced Beef with Peach-Grape Salsa

Serves 4

Ingredients
Peach-Grape Salsa
1 medium peach, pitted and coarsely chopped
½ cup red grapes, quartered
1 T snipped fresh mint
1 T lemon juice

Indian-Spiced Beef
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp ground black pepper
⅛ tsp crushed red pepper
1 lb beef flank steak

Preparation

1. Prepare salsa: In a small bowl, stir peaches, red grapes, snipped fresh mint and lemon juice. Set aside.
2. Prepare beef: Preheat broiler. In a small bowl, combine coriander, garlic powder, cumin, salt, ginger, turmeric, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Trim fat from steak. Score both sides of steak in a diamond pattern by making shallow diagonal cuts at 1-inch intervals. Sprinkle steak evenly with spice mixture, rubbing in with your fingers.
3. Place steak on the unheated rack of a foil-lined broiler pan. Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat for 17 to 21 minutes or until medium doneness (160^°F), turning once. Cover with foil; let steak stand for five minutes before thinly slicing. Top steak slices with salsa.

 

To grill steak: For a charcoal grill, place seasoned steak on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 17 to 21 minutes for medium doneness (160^°F), turning once halfway through grilling. For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place steak on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as directed above.

 

The seventh annual Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers South Carolina 5K Run & Walk is set for Friday, September 20, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. in Columbia’s Vista. Along a picturesque course spanning the Gervais Street and Blossom Street bridges at sunset, the race celebrates and appreciates first responders and military service members who serve, save and sacrifice on our behalf every day. Lexington Medical Center is proud to be the presenting sponsor.

 The race is named in honor of Stephen Siller, a New York City firefighter and father of five who died on September 11, 2001. That day, Siller was off duty and on his way to play golf. When he heard what was happening at the World Trade Center, he strapped on 60 pounds of gear and ran from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center. He gave his life to save others. The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation is committed to ensuring that Americans never forget 9/11 and that our children understand the sacrifices made by many on that day.

The route for the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers South Carolina 5K Run & Walk begins near the First Responders Historic Remembrance Memorial next to the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center on Lincoln Street. Participants will travel down Gervais Street, across the Gervais Street Bridge into Cayce, up the Blossom Street Bridge and back to Columbia’s Vista in the early evening.

The goal of Tunnel to Towers is to support first responders and military service members who have been catastrophically injured in the line of duty. Proceeds from the 5K will benefit the building of smart homes for quadruple and triple amputee veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s “Building for America’s Bravest” program.

Register for South Carolina’s Tunnel to Towers 5K Walk and Run at www.t2trunsc.org. The entry fee is $30 until August 20, with discounts for first responders, students and military members. Importantly, businesses and organizations are encouraged to build a team of participants.

In previous years, participants included more than 800 Fort Jackson soldiers running in formation, South Carolina first responders, law enforcement officers, military service members from all branches of the Armed Forces, avid runners, families and teams from businesses and organizations. More than 2,000 people participated. Many more are expected this year.

There will be an opening ceremony at 6:30 p.m. and an after party with an awards ceremony, live music, food and beverages, vendor booths, and a raffle and silent auction.

For more information about the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers South Carolina 5K Run & Walk, visit www.t2trunsc.org.

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For more, visit www.t2trunsc.org