On Wednesday, December 18th, 2024, Guadalupe Regional Medical Center celebrated a groundbreaking achievement in our Cath Lab— 100 procedures completed using the revolutionary CathWorks FFRangio® System.

GRMC is proud to be the only hospital in the region to offer this state-of-the-art, non-invasive technology, revolutionizing the way coronary artery disease is diagnosed and treated. The CathWorks FFRangio® System is a computer-based technology that uses routine angiograms of a patient’s heart to create a 3D model showing the location and degree of any blockages in their coronary arteries.

What is different from traditional fractional flow reserve?
Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is a diagnostic measurement that evaluates the physiologic impact of coronary artery tightening, making it an important part of the decision-making process when managing patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). While FFR is an important diagnostic tool supported by strong clinical evidence, the nature of measuring traditional FFR requires invasive pressure wires and drug stimulation which has resulted in its underutilization.1

In contrast to traditional FFR, the FFRangio® System combines artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced computational science to obtain quick and reliable FFRangio values from routine angiograms (X-rays), eliminating the need for drug stimulation and invasive pressure wires. It provides physicians with quick and reliable intraprocedural FFRangio values for the entire coronary of coronary arteries.

What does this mean for patients?
With this new tool, our interventional cardiologists can perform their clinical assessment quicker, more comprehensively, without medications, and in a way that is more comfortable for the patient. Our nurses are able to discharge patients faster and have increased capacity to care for others.

“At GRMC, we’re committed to bringing innovative solutions to our community, ensuring the best possible care for our patients. This cutting-edge technology significantly benefits not only our patients, but our staff and organization as a whole in terms of patient flow,” says Pisamai Cowan, RN, BSN, CCRN, RCIS, GRMC Cath Lab Director. She continues, “CathWorks is another example of how AI is becoming more integrated into medical technology. The FFRangio® System allows us to be less invasive, yet still answer critical health questions for our patients”.

Thanks to collaboration, forward thinking, and an ongoing commitment to delivering quality patient care, Guadalupe Regional Medical Center is grateful for the remarkable distinction of having the first hospital in the region to use FFRangio® System to better serve our patients and community.

1. De Bruyne, B et al. Fractional Flow Reserve–Guided PCI versus Medical Therapy in stable coronary disease. N Engl J Med, 2012; 367:991-1001DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1205361