CGH cardiac cath lab team now performs IMR procedure

STERLING – The CGH Medical Center cardiac catheterization team, led by Dr. Twinkle Singh and Dr. Hassan Kieso, have performed the first index of microcirculatory resistance procedure.

The procedure was done Jan. 23. According to a news release, CGH is the first and only hospital in the Sauk Valley area employing this method to assess the health of the smaller arteries in the heart and pinpoint microvascular disease.

IMR enables a cardiology team to develop patient-specific care plans for individuals who come in with unexplained chest pain and shortness of breath.

The procedure is performed by using the Abbott CoroFlow cardiovascular system. This newly acquired software program evaluates key measures of heart function and diagnoses or rules out cardiac small-vessel disease.

Since the initial procedure, the cardiac cath lab team has been regularly performing the procedure as a scheduled elective.

“IMR allows our cardiologists to provide answers and offer more effective treatment plans,” Singh said. “This is part of our mission to continue to bring the latest technology to CGH for the benefit of our patients.”