November 21, 2007
St. Luke’s Community Medical Center – The Woodlands
Performs 100th Open Heart Surgery

St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital (SLTWH) recently reached a major milestone as the 100th open heart surgery was performed.

Debra Sukin, chief executive officer of SLTWH and vice president, St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System, said, “We are extremely proud to have completed our 100th heart surgery. This milestone speaks volumes about St. Luke’s focus on quality and community recognition of our premier heart program.

“Our success is proven by the patients’ confidence in our quality of care and service,  along with the physician referrals to our program. Moreover, our hospital has embraced the latest technology for treating heart disease coupled with the finest team of cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons and specialty nurses.”

Cardiovascular surgeon Mark M. Mettauer, M.D., who serves as chief of cardiovascular surgery at SLTWH, explained, “It is evident that people are feeling more comfortable staying in the county for major surgical procedures. We doubled our vascular and chest surgeries last year and we expect to triple these procedures next year.  Short of heart transplants, there is virtually nothing we can’t do out here.  We are now able to surpass the expectations in the delivery of advanced medical capabilities, providing patients the same if not better healthcare treatment that they expect from the Texas Medical Center.”

Cardiologist Vincent Aquino, M.D., who serves as chief of staff for SLTWH, added, “Patient outcomes and length of stays have been terrific. The community should realize that although the program here is new, the collective experience of the team is vast and we have individuals who bring years of experience having worked in Houston's major medical center hospitals. Having reached this milestone we are now comfortable to begin tackling more difficult cases right here in the community. Additionally, patients and their families are pleased to remain closer to home and not be inconvenienced by the long trip back and forth to the medical center.”

According to Sherrill Lanthier, RN, director of heart care services at SLTWH, their patients’ length of stay is usually about five and a half days, while the national average for open heart surgery is seven to ten days in the hospital.  “The significance of this is that shorter hospital stays are better because the sooner the patient is able to start rehabilitation at home, the better the outcome.  It’s been rewarding to see the successes personally, as my role is to follow each patient pre- and post-operatively,” said Lanthier.

Dr. Mettauer and his wife, Marissa, are serving as chairs of the 2008 Montgomery County American Heart Association’s Heart Ball, to be held in February 16th at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center.  Sukin served as chair of the recently held Montgomery County American Heart Association’s Heart Walk.

As the newest hospital in The Woodlands area, SLTWH is equipped with the most up-to-date facilities and offers a comprehensive heart program, including diagnosis, treatment, diagnostic and interventional cardiology and cardiovascular surgery.  Physicians are community-based, board-certified cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons.

St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital is located at 17200 St. Luke’s Way in The Woodlands, at the southwest corner of SH 242 and I-45.  For more information, please call (936) 266-2000.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System comprises the flagship St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, founded in 1954 by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas; St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital, opened in 2003; St. Luke’s Episcopal Health Charities, a charity devoted to assessing and enhancing community health, especially among the underserved; and Kelsey-Seybold Management, LLP, overseeing 21 area clinic locations. St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital is home to the Texas Heart® Institute, founded in 1962 by Denton A. Cooley, MD, and consistently ranked among the top 10 cardiology and heart surgery centers in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Affiliated with several nursing schools and two medical schools, St. Luke’s serves as the primary private adult teaching hospital for Baylor College of Medicine. St. Luke’s was the first hospital in Texas named a Magnet hospital for nursing excellence, and the Health System has been recognized by FORTUNE as among “100 Best Companies to Work For” (2002, 2004 and 2005) and by Houston Business Journal as a top employer in Houston for three consecutive years.