Maury Regional Offers New Soundwave Technology, Improving Treatment for Heart Disease

Maury Regional Medical Center (MRMC) now offers an innovative treatment called intravascular lithotripsy (IVL), which is a safe, efficient and proven treatment for heart (or cardiovascular) disease, specifically related to calcium buildup in heart arteries.

Each year, almost 700,000 people die from heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. As people suffering from coronary artery disease age, plaque in the arteries evolves into calcium deposits that narrow and harden the artery, limiting blood flow to the heart.

IVL was inspired by the principles of kidney stone treatment, or urological lithotripsy (UL), but was adapted by Shockwave Medical, Inc. to tackle calcium buildup in the cardiovascular system. Lithotripsy uses ultrasonic energy or shockwaves to gently and safely break calcifications.

In April, David Houff, MD, a board-certified specialist in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology on MRMC’s medical staff, completed the first ostial disease case in the state of Tennessee, utilizing the Shockwave Intravascular Lithotripsy System alongside a specialized dual-balloon by Ostial Corporation called the FLASH Aorto-Ostial Angioplasty System. Ostial disease, a blockage in the very first segment of an artery, is well-known to be associated with high restenosis rates, which is when a blockage to blood flow recurs after initially being opened. With the combination of these newly implemented technologies, MRMC is providing advanced coronary solutions to their patients and referring physicians.

“Being the first hospital in Tennessee to use these combined technologies (Shockwave’s IVL and Ostial Corporation’s dual-balloon) for ostial disease is rewarding for our staff and demonstrates our commitment to leveraging proven innovations in healthcare for a great patient experience and stronger outcomes,” said CEO Martin Chaney, MD.

“The cardiology team at Maury Regional Medical Center is committed to giving our patients access to the latest cardiovascular innovations to treat heart disease,” said David Houff, MD. “Empowered by this novel shockwave IVL technology, we are excited to be treating some of the most complex forms of heart disease in our most challenging patient cases, all while remaining committed to improving patient outcomes for the benefit of the Maury County and surrounding communities.”

As southern Middle Tennessee’s only Heart Center, Maury Regional Medical Center provides a vast array of cardiac services that include interventional procedures as well as pacemaker and defibrillator implants. Physicians are members of Vanderbilt Heart-Columbia and Ascension Saint Thomas Heart Columbia who are complemented by a highly skilled and experienced team that strives to achieve the best possible outcomes.

MRMC is a part of the largest health system between Nashville and Huntsville and is the only hospital in Tennessee to receive the excellence in patient safety and outstanding patient experience awards from Healthgrades® in 2024.