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In the Best of Hands
This Brick man doesn’t take his health lightly, keeping a close eye on
things and faithfully visiting doctors as if his life depended on it. In this case, it did.
Seventy-seven-year-old Paul Kaniuka
of Brick is diligent about his health.
He heeds the advice of physicians,
attends to recommended preventive
measures, and schedules regular
checkups with his doctors.
So 12 years ago, during his
normal yearly visit to his primary
care physician, Rocco Giliberti, D.O.,
Paul was promptly referred to a
vascular surgeon at Ocean Medical
Center when Dr. Giliberti noticed a
potential abnormality. Following further
testing, it was determined that Paul
required a carotid endarterectomy,
a surgical procedure that treats carotid
artery blockages caused by carotid
artery disease.
Monitoring Pays Off
Carotid artery disease occurs when the
carotid arteries develop atherosclerosis,
the buildup of fat and cholesterol deposits, commonly called "plaque,"
on the inside of the arteries.
Over time, the buildup
narrows the artery
and decreases the
flow of blood to
the brain, which
could result
in stroke.
Although the recurrence rate of this
condition is low (typically 5–10%),
Paul continued to have his health
monitored after his procedure,
undergoing an angiogram in 2003 by
the vascular surgeons of Jersey Coast
Vascular Institute at Ocean Medical
Center. The test revealed that Paul’s
left carotid artery had narrowed by
50–60%. Frank Sharp, M.D., boardcertified
vascular surgeon and chief
of surgery at Ocean, decided the
best course of action was to continue
to monitor Paul every six months.
But during his last visit, when an
ultrasound exam detected additional
blockage in this left carotid artery,
Paul was scheduled for surgery
within a week.
A Leading-Edge Procedure
This time around, Paul had the benefit
of a new endovascular (minimally
invasive) surgical technique, carotid
stenting. "While this technique is new
to many hospitals," states Dr. Sharp,
"Ocean Medical Center was the first
in the region to be a federally approved
facility for carotid stenting and to
invest in a state-of-the-art endovascular
surgical suite to enhance the delivery
of vascular patient care."
Sung W. Kwon, M.D., a board-certified
vascular surgeon at Ocean Medical
Center, performed the carotid stent
procedure with Dr. Sharp. In conjunction
with his colleagues from Jersey Coast
Vascular Institute, Dr. Kwon has been
performing carotid stent procedures
for two years. So Paul was truly in the most capable of hands in being treated
by such experienced professionals as
Drs. Sharp and Kwon.
Dr. Kwon describes this leading-edge
procedure more fully: "A specially
designed guide wire with a filter is
placed beyond the site of the narrowing
or blockage in the carotid artery.
Once the filter is in place, a small
balloon catheter is guided to the
area of the blockage. The balloon
is inflated, and the blockage is
compressed against the artery walls,
allowing the vessel to widen to
increase blood flow." Then the
balloon is removed, and the stent
is placed inside the artery to broaden
the opening and support the artery
wall. After the stent is placed, an
angiogram is performed to confirm
that the stent has completely
expanded and that the blockage has been corrected. The stent stays
in place permanently to support
the artery and keep it open.
Dancing for Joy
After an overnight stay in the hospital,
Paul was back at home. "I am very
pleased with Dr. Sharp and his
colleagues; they were wonderful.
I couldn’t have made it without
them," he claims.
Now Paul and his wife, Kathryn,
are looking forward to dancing at
their 50th wedding anniversary in
November. "With the help of Dr. Sharp
and his team, with all the nurses at
Ocean Medical Center, and with
prayers, I made it through again.
We are so happy with the health
care options available in our own
backyard — that’s why we’re staying
right here!"
 – Anne Marie Keevins
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Between 8 and 12 million Americans are
afflicted with vascular disease, but like Paul, many
experience only subtle symptoms or no symptoms at all.
That’s why it’s so important to be aware of the risk factors,
which are similar to those for carotid artery disease:
- Family history of atherosclerosis (either coronary artery or carotid artery disease)
- Age (vascular disease occurs more often in men than in women before the age of 75, but thereafter, the opposite trend holds)
- Smoking
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol (though this link to vascular disease is not as strong as it is to coronary artery disease)
If you have a family history of coronary/carotid artery disease or
any other risk factor, take Dr. Sharp’s advice to be evaluated for
vascular disease. The screening is simple and pain-free —
it includes a good medical history, a physical exam, and a
non-invasive ultrasound — and it could just save your life.
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