For nearly all of human history, the heart was believed to be the source of all feelings. Even today, hearing that there might be a problem with our heart sets off some very real, and sometimes, very scary, emotions.

“I was a ticking time bomb. A heart attack waiting to happen.” That’s how Carrol felt when she learned that the bypass surgery she needed immediately could not be performed because of a genetic disorder called CVID (Common Variable Immune Deficiency).

“My body wouldn’t heal from surgery and any infection would take me down immediately. I had already had two minor heart attacks. My calcium levels were off the charts, and plaque was building up in my arteries.”

Then, what seemed to be a miracle.

Carrol’s physician, Brian Kolski, MD, director of the Structural Heart Program at St. Joseph Hospital, suggested a new procedure that could help clear Carrol’s arteries without surgery.

Thanks to the support of the community, newly-acquired technology enabled the removal of plaque with a minimally invasive technique that does not require opening the heart. “They went in through my wrist,” says Carrol. “It’s like a drill or roto rooter to remove plaque.”

“Four years ago, it took me almost a year to recover from the insertion of a stent. Within two days after this procedure, I was out of the hospital and back to normal. I felt like I got a new lease on life!”

Heart and vascular disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Each year more than 1 million people suffer heart attacks, 500,000 people die, and half of those die suddenly.

St. Joseph Hospital’s nationally-recognized Heart & Vascular Center is leading the way in diagnosing, preventing and treating cardiovascular conditions in Orange County.

This focus on the latest in advanced medical technology – combined with leading edge research and a highly skilled staff of doctors, nurses and technicians committed to treating the whole person with compassion and respect, is what makes St. Joseph Hospital unique and essential to the community.