9 minute read
BRYAN HEART
Dr. Mathue Baker, with cardiology registered nurse Katelyn Peterson of Bryan Heart, left, and Bryan’s noninvasive cardiology manager Cara McMann (seated with cardiac and vascular ultrasound machine) and echo lab coordinator Lynne Nelson, provides Sports Consultations for Cardiac Clearance to athletes at the University of Nebraska and other schools.
Nebraska’s athletes turn to our heart experts for clearance to play sports after COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact studentathletes, as well as the general public throughout America, with people who tested positive for the infection being quarantined and sports events being cancelled or put on hold.
With COVID-19’s potential to have long-term negative effects on athletes’ hearts, Bryan Heart and Bryan Medical Center are working with the University of Nebraska Husker teams, as well as private colleges and other universities across the state, to provide Sports Consultations for Cardiac Clearance, so athletes who have tested positive for COVID-19 can safely return to play.
Myocardial injury or damage to the heart due to COVID-19 is still being investigated, and researchers say there’s a relationship between having COVID-19 and conditions known as cytokine mediated cardiomyopathy (an immune system response that causes the heart to become enlarged, thick or rigid), acute
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coronary syndrome (sudden reduced blood flow to the heart) and myocarditis (inflammation of heart tissue).
Individuals who have inflammation of the heart due to the COVID-19 virus can increase their risk of damaging their heart during exercise — so testing is extremely important.
Bryan Heart cardiologist Mathue Baker, MD, is a physician champion for the field of sports cardiology. Over the past decade, part of his practice has included caring for athletes at all levels of competition. His own experience as a collegiate athlete sparked his interest in sports cardiology.
Dr. Baker is the team cardiologist for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and he serves on the Big Ten’s Cardiology Subcommittee.
No matter the sport or size of school, the athlete’s health is the top priority. Sports Consultations for Cardiac Clearance evaluate an athlete’s heart to help keep that individual safe. Bryan Heart and Bryan Medical Center, in conjunction with team physicians, athletic trainers and/or athletes’ primary care physicians, have the tools and expertise necessary to meet return-to-play criteria and guidelines set forth by various conferences and associations.
Besides the Huskers, Sports Consultations have been provided and are available to student-athletes at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Doane University in Crete, Hastings College, Peru State College, Concordia University, Nebraska, in Seward and other local schools.
What’s involved? Consultations have five major components: • High Sensitivity Troponin T – This lab test evaluates levels of cardiac enzymes that indicate potential heart damage. • 12-Lead EKG – Testing, using electrocardiography, evaluates electrical signals in the heart to help detect irregularities. • Limited Echocardiogram with Strain – This is a comprehensive evaluation of the heart’s function and structure, including its chambers and valves. Strain imaging evaluates the function of the heart muscle (myocardium), using cardiac ultrasound and identifies subtle changes.
• Office Evaluation.
• Cardiac MRI (if deemed necessary) – Noninvasive imaging test uses radio waves and powerful magnets to create a detailed image of the heart. This is available at Bryan Medical
Center.
Athletes needing Sports Consultations for Cardiac Clearance should contact Bryan Heart at 402-483-3333. n
Bryan first to earn HeartCARE Center Distinction
Bryan Medical Center is the first hospital in Nebraska to earn the American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) HeartCARE Center National Distinction of Excellence.
According to the ACC, only 28 hospitals in the United States have earned this award, signifying Bryan’s commitment to high-quality cardiovascular care.
“Being a HeartCARE Center is one more way patients and families can be assured they are getting leading heart care in our region,” says Bryan Heart executive medical director Matt Johnson, MD. “To be the first in Nebraska is a tremendous accomplishment that reflects our passion for patients and their care.”
Last spring, the electrophysiology and cardiac cath labs at Bryan Medical Center received accreditation from the ACC. At the end of July, Bryan Medical Center was notified it also had met the criteria to achieve certification as a HeartCARE Center. Bryan is the only hospital in Nebraska to earn this designation while also achieving EP and cath lab accreditations.
Bryan director of cardiac and vascular services Jennifer Preston notes, “This truly was a team effort. The accreditation process not only validated our wonderful care, it also set our heart services on a course for continual improvement.”
The ACC says the award shines a light on an elite group of hospitals that are going above and beyond to ensure each patient has access to consistent, highquality cardiovascular care.
The collaboration among providers, department leaders and staff to achieve these accreditations and the certification has been amazing, say Bryan Heart and Bryan Medical Center officials. n
Farewell, Dr. Hansen
When cardiologist Dale Hansen, MD, retires at the end of the year, he will leave Bryan Heart with a great sense of satisfaction. He says, “I came to Bryan in 1989 after beginning my career in Omaha. When some of the doctors left to open their own practice in 2001, I chose to stay. This was right for me, and I’ve never looked back.”
Having served Nebraska’s heart patients for 35 years, Dr. Hansen has many memories of patients whose lives were forever changed because of care they received at Bryan. He recalls a patient who was having a very large heart attack and whose heart kept stopping.
“Nowadays we usually open an artery within 20 to 30 minutes, but we worked on him for six hours and shocked his heart more than 30 times. Because of that, we were able to get his artery opened and he was able to go back home to lead a normal life,” Dr. Hansen says. “It was just amazing to see that.”
Those early years were exciting and innovative. “We were just starting the field of interventional cardiology, and I was able to be part of that. We were learning on the job and it was a lot of fun.”
Another patient, a young woman, suffered a rare post-partum cardiomyopathy. After delivering her child, the woman’s heart became so weak her survival seemed unlikely. Dr. Hansen says, “We inserted what’s called a balloon pump to help her heart cope. We stabilized her, and she recovered. Her child must be about 25 now.”
Of course, not all stories end so well. When asked his advice for the next generation of cardiologists, Dr. Hansen says, “Two words: Resilience. Patients. You won’t always have success. In the end, it is the patient who matters.”
This native Nebraskan, who grew up in the village of Coleridge, extols the advantages of attending a small school in a close-knit community. He notes, “I was in the band, played sports and was on the debate team. Math was my favorite subject.”
His decision to study medicine, however, had more to do with family than with schooling. “My mother was a nurse,” he says. “I would hear interesting medical stories from her. My father had complicated health issues and the medical people who cared for him inspired me. That’s why I decided to go into medicine.”
He enrolled at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine. He planned to go into family practice, but his plans changed when he came to Lincoln for a rotation in cardiology. “I just loved it, so I switched,” he recalls.
After graduating in 1980, Dr. Hansen did a residency at UNMC and fellowships there and at Creighton University. After that, he worked as a cardiologist at Clarkson Hospital in Omaha for about four years, but
Cardiologist Dale Hansen, MD, is retiring after more than 35 years of caring for Nebraskans’ hearts.
he never forgot that rotation at Bryan.
When a position in cardiology opened here, he eagerly accepted.
“There’s a wonderful environment at Bryan. The hospital is always willing to get the most up-to-date technology for diagnosis and treatment, and we have a very good working relationship with the administration.” Dr. Hansen adds, “The nurses are excellent. You get a small town feeling from the way they treat their patients.”
He’s excited for the future of cardiology and is pleased that Bryan Heart recruits outstanding physicians from around the country. He also is grateful the medical staff has a wide range of subspecialties.
“In cardiology we see very sick patients with serious illnesses. At Bryan, we work together on complicated cases and offer the best in cardiac and non-cardiac care. Meld all of this together and our group is excellent.”
As much as he’s loved his work, he’s looking forward to retirement. “I’m not going to rush into anything. My wife, Sandy, and I plan to drive cross country to visit our three daughters and five grandchildren,” says Dr. Hansen. n
Welcome, Dr. Katta
Interventional cardiologist Natraj Katta, MD, has joined Bryan Heart.
Dr. Katta grew up in southern India and attributes his interest in medicine to his father. “My dad had a tenant, a
doctor,” he says. “In a small town like ours, the doctor got a lot of respect, so my dad said maybe I should go into medicine, too.”
Mr. Katta was right. His son, Natraj, followed his advice Heart’s newest interventional cardiologist.
The road from India to Lincoln was circuitous and filled with many years of intensive medical training.
After earning his medical degree from Siddhartha Medical College in Vijayawada, India, Dr. Katta decided to pursue further education in the United States. He completed his residency in internal medicine at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital, Pontiac, Michigan. There he became interested in the field of had the opportunity to observe could instantly improve patients’ lives,” he says.
He completed a residency in cardiovascular disease at the University of Missouri School of Medicine in Columbia, and followed that with a fellowship in interventional cardiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.
While in Omaha, Dr. Katta worked with cardiologists at Bryan Heart.
He says, “I was impressed with how they cared for their patients
and this fall became Bryan
cardiology.
“During my residency, I cardiologists performing angioplasty and stenting procedures. I was fascinated by how they
and were using advanced technology to offer state of the art
Dr. Natraj Katta is Board certified in cardiovascular disease and specializes in interventional cardiology.
This avid runner enjoys Lincoln’s well-maintained trails.
treatment.”
Dr. Katta believes that the physician and patient relationship should be based on trust. His goal is to achieve optimal well-being for his patients.
“My role is to provide my patients with an accurate diagnosis and the best possible care,” he says. “It is extremely gratifying when your patients have recovered and are living their life to the fullest.”
Dr. Katta is living his life to the fullest in Lincoln, as well. He and his fiancée, Katelynn, are runners and appreciate the area’s wellmaintained trails. A self-confessed movie buff, he likes to relax with a good film and enjoys visiting restaurants both in Lincoln and in Omaha.
Dr. Katta misses India and had planned to visit his family last summer. Like so many other people, he had to cancel those travel plans because of COVID-19. His parents hope to visit in March, and he is looking forward to welcoming them to Lincoln.
He says, “I want to be settled by then and have a real home.” n
To see an introductory video, go to bryanhealth.org/DrKatta.
VIDEO
To learn how you can support the work of Bryan Heart, please call 402-481-8605.
