PeaceHealth St. John | Healhy You | Fall 2016

2 / 8

Innovative heart
procedure keeps
patient in the swim
JOAN DE LGADO LOOKS the picture of health. A
lifelong athlete, this fit 71-year-old is also a U.S. Masters
competitive swimmer.
One day, however, while working out to prepare for a race,
she couldn’t get her heart rate over 125. She knew it should
be around 145. She felt fine but thought she’d get it checked
and was referred to James Suero, MD, an interventional
cardiologist with PeaceHealth Medical Group.
Dr. Suero referred to her as “my athlete” and gave her an
exercise treadmill echocardiogram stress test. Joan said she
felt great after the test, but Dr. Suero said she likely had a
blockage in an artery. He scheduled her for an angioplasty
the following week, which revealed that one of her arteries
was 70 percent blocked. Her only warning sign was not
being able to raise her heart rate.
Joan was in good hands; Dr. Suero and the cardiology team
performed an innovative procedure known as a transradial
cardiac catheterization, inserting the catheter through a blood
vessel in Joan’s arm rather than through the femoral artery in the
groin. This procedure is easier on patients and has less risk of
complications. The catheter is removed immediately, and patients
are able to sit up after only one hour. It’s still not the norm—only
30 percent of hospitals in the U.S. perform transradial cardiac
catheterizations—but Dr. Suero and his team have done them
for several years at PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center.
After a couple of months off, Joan started swimming again
and competing soon after. At her follow-up appointment,
Dr. Suero felt rewarded to see “his athlete” with a big smile
on her face and still in the swim.
Cyclist back in the
saddle after joint
replacement surgery
TH I NGS ARE START I NG to roll again in Brad Burger’s
life. An intense “If it has wheels, I ride!” cyclist, this active
55-year-old began to experience his hips freezing up and
sometimes needed help getting off his bike.
He knew it was time to do something and, just like with
his bike riding, decided to “go big or go home” by scheduling
a bilateral (double) hip replacement. Familiar with the work
of orthopedic surgeon William Turner, MD, Brad knew
Dr. Turner was fast enough to get both hip replacements
done in one day.
Brad, an anesthesiologist, was also familiar with what goes
on in an operating room, but he wasn’t sure what exactly
was involved in getting a joint replacement. After attending
a presurgery session, Brad was impressed with the Joint
Replacement program at PeaceHealth St. John Medical
Center. He learned all he needed to prepare for surgery,
what to expect during his hospital stay, and the do’s and
don’ts of his at-home rehabilitation.
Brad says that he got “really great care,” and after just one
night in the hospital, he returned home. For the next six
weeks, he exercised diligently and lifted weights to build up
his muscles and get back to work. A couple weeks after that,
he was able to go on a bike ride. He recently completed a
ride up Mount St. Helens.
Brad encourages others thinking about joint replacement
to check with their doctor about whether they are good
candidates for surgery. For those who need it, Brad’s
words of wisdom are, “It’s going to change your life—for
the better!”
Health news
Visit to learn more
about the cardiovascular services available in
our community.
Learn more about our orthopedic services by
calling 360-414-5750.
P A T I E N T P R O F I L E P A T I E N T P R O F I L E
Thinking
about joint
replacement?
When: Tuesday, Sept. 20,
6 to 7 p.m.
Where: Pacific Surgical Institute,
625 Ninth Ave., Longview, WA
Info: Ready to get moving again?
Attend this free event to find out if
joint replacement is right for you.
Presented by orthopedic surgeon
William Turner, MD, Longview
Orthopedic Associates. Dr. Turner
is also the medical director of
PeaceHealth St. John’s joint
replacement program. For more
information or to register, visit
events or call 360-636-4846.
William Turner, MD
Orthopedic Surgery
Longview Orthopedic
Associates
625 Ninth Ave., Suite 210
Longview, WA
360-501-3400
James Suero, MD
Interventional Cardiology
PeaceHealth Medical Group
Specialty Clinic
1615 Delaware St.
Longview, WA
360-414-2730
2