JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – The Mississippi Heart and Vascular Institute at St. Dominic’s has been named host site for the nation’s first and only Center of Excellence for Complex Heart Procedures.

St. Dominic Hospital and Jackson Heart Clinic cardiologists, Brett Bennett, MD and Russell Young, MD, are successfully treating fully blocked coronary arteries known as Chronic Total Occlusions (CTOs) with minimally invasive techniques and devices.

Historically, totally blocked arteries have been addressed by heart bypass surgery or treated with prescription drugs.

Bennett’s first patient was treated on January 12, 2018, using techniques and technology from Boston Scientific, and was released from the hospital the next day. Since then, Bennett and Young have completed more than 700 procedures at St. Dominic’s.

“These unique devices require new techniques and specialized training. We are now among a select group of hospitals and programs nationwide to work with Boston Scientific to develop advanced skills with these devices,” stated Bennett. “Chronic total occlusions previously had very limited treatment alternatives beyond medical management or surgery, and we are pleased to be able to bring specific, innovative devices and additional treatment options to our patients and our community.”

St. Dominic’s Mississippi Heart and Vascular Institute sees these techniques and devices as an alternative to medical management and a way to improve the quality of life for its patients with CTOs.

The hospital has established a CTO Program to address this complex form of coronary artery disease, including in-depth physician training from Boston Scientific on the CrossBoss and Stingray Coronary CTO Crossing and Re-entry System.

These devices enable physicians to treat lesions more successfully and efficiently using minimally invasive techniques. They are currently the only devices for subintimal re-entry on the market that are FDA-cleared to specifically treat coronary CTOs.