Diagnosis and Treatment

The Non-Invasive Lab at St. John Hospital is a leader in the diagnosis of cardiac disease – using the most current diagnostic techniques and technology. With digital echocardiography equipment and other new imaging technologies, our patients receive some of the most advanced cardiovascular diagnostic care in Michigan. Referring physicians appreciate our commitment to streamlined patient scheduling, quick test performance and report generation.

• Coronary CT Angiography (Heart Scan)
• Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring
• Electrocardiography (EKG)
• Echocardiography—including Two-Dimensional Echo, Transesophageal Echo (TEE) and Doppler Studies
• Nuclear Cardiology Imaging
• Carotid Doppler and Imaging Studies
• Stress Testing—including Exercise and Pharmacological Stress Echo and Nuclear Imaging
• Holter and Event Monitoring

Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) therapy is an outpatient treatment for angina and heart failure, involving hourly sessions of diastolic blood pressure cuff compression of the legs. Patients are?

During treatment, a patient lies on a comfortable treatment table with large blood pressure-like cuffs wrapped around their legs and buttocks. These cuffs inflate and deflate at specific times between heartbeats. A continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) is used to set the timing so the cuffs inflate while the heart is at rest, when it normally gets its supply of blood and oxygen. The cuffs deflate at the end of that rest period, just before the next heart beat.

A special sensor applied to the finger checks the oxygen level in the patient’s blood and monitors the pressure waves created by the cuff inflations and deflations.

Treatments are usually given for an hour each day, five days a week, for a total of 35 hours. St. John has offered EECP to our patients since 2008 with excellent results. Most patients experience significant and sustained improvement in their symptoms with a standard course of therapy (five times per week for seven weeks). Recurrent symptoms may also improve with additional EECP therapy.

Learn more and view a video demonstration

To arrange an appointment, call 313-343-3592.

We are unique in our approach to care by providing the only cardiac cath lab with an all RN-trained staff. With state-of-the-art technology and highly trained cardiovascular interventionalists, St. John Hospital offers one of Michigan’s top Invasive Cardiology programs. Physicians from across the country and around the world travel to St. John Hospital to learn the latest interventional techniques. We’re respected as pioneers in coronary, peripheral and carotid intervention. We are also involved in device and pharmacologic research that treats vascular disease while easing pain, reducing recovery time and improving patient outcomes.

• Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
  • Intracoronary Stenting including drug-coated stenting
  • Rheolytic Thrombectomy
  • Mechanical Rotational Atherectromy (MRA)
  • Directional Coronary Atherectomy (DCA)
  • Cutting Balloon
  • Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS)
• Percutaneous Peripheral Procedures – including Carotid Stenting
• Intra Aortic Balloon Pump Therapy (IABP)
• Endomyocardial Biopsy
• Valvuloplasty
• Coronary Laser Therapy
• Carotid Stenting
• Peripheral Laser Therapy specializing in limb salvage

The expert physicians and staff members in the Heart Rhythm Center at St. John Hospital are pioneering new treatments for abnormal heart rhythm and heart failure. From cardiac resynchronization therapy using special biventricular pacing devices, to three-dimensional mapping, to catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias, our highly trained caregivers led by Electrophysiologists are not only using the latest techniques, they are helping develop them.

• Electrophysiology and Tilt Table Testing
• Catheter Ablations of Arrhythmias
• Non-Invasive Program Stimulation (NIPS)
• Cardioversion
• Implantation of Automatic Cardiac Defibrillators (ICD)
• Implantation of Pacemakers
• Atrial Fibrillation
• Left Atrical Appendage Occlusion
• Lead Extraction

The Cardiovascular Surgery program at St. John Hospital is a nationally recognized center of excellence. With leading-edge technology and highly trained and experienced cardiovascular surgeons and nurses, St. John Hospital provides advanced care to hundreds of cardiac patients each year. We’re known as pioneers in cardiac surgery – helping to develop new surgical procedures including robotic bypass and valve surgery.

• Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery
• Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (“Beating Heart” Surgery)
• Valve Replacement – including Stentless Valve Technology
• Valve Repair
• Minimally Invasive Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery
• Surgery for Adult Congenital Defects
• Surgery for Atrial Fibrillation
• Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization
• Thoracic Aorta Aneurysm Repair
• Surgery for Cardiac Tumors
• Robot-assisted surgery for minimally invasive approach with greater precision

This year we will also launch the Gretchen C. Valade Cardiovascular Hybrid Laboratory and Minimally Invasive Structural Heart Program including an integrated (hybrid) operating room/cardiac cath lab, the state’s first. This will allow us to provide the latest transcatheter valve therapies, which integrate surgical procedures with skin incisions and intervention. The lab will offer fixed imaging systems dedicated to the latest advances in minimally invasive cardiovascular interventions, designed to deliver better visualization of the blood vessels with lower doses of radiation. The hybrid operating room/cardiac cath lab will also have great potential for select rhythm disorders, endovascular valve repair and other advanced procedures:

• ASD repair
• Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair
• Endovascular Thoracic Aneurysm Repair
• 3D CT
• 3D TEE
• IVUS
• Minimally Invasive Left Ventricular Assist Device
• Robotic Revascularization
• Roboic Mitral Valve Repair

At St. John Hospital and Medical Center, we’re working to reduce the numbers of people affected by heart disease in our community. The Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation Program focuses on preventing a first heart attack or stroke while also providing innovative prevention and rehab services to patients after bypass surgery or angioplasty. It’s our goal to get you back to your personal best health and fitness.

• Nutritional and Dietary Counseling
• Smoking Cessation
• Exercise Evaluation and Instruction
• Weight Loss Management Program
• Stress Management
• Cardiac Rehabilitation
• Exercise Maintenance
• Diabetes Exercise Program
• Minimally invasive weight reduction surgery (lap band)
• Support Groups