The Interventional Cardiology Team at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center (L to R): Sergio Waxman, MD, MBA, Chief of the Division of Cardiology, Khalil Kaid, MD, Director of Interventional Cardiology, who performed NJ’s first intracoronary supersaturated oxygen (SSO2) procedure on November 7, 2023, Christopher Nnaoma, MD, and Umair Bajwa, MD.
Newark, NJ (November 27, 2023) – Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, is now the first and only hospital in New Jersey offering SuperSaturated Oxygen (SSO2) Therapy to treat heart attacks patients.
SuperSaturated Oxygen Therapy is indicated for use in patients who suffer a heart attack caused by a complete blockage of the left-anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), which supplies a large portion of blood to the heart muscle.
The first procedure was performed on November 7, 2023 by Khalil Kaid, MD, Director of Interventional Cardiology at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.
Cardiologists deliver high levels of dissolved oxygen (7-10x normal level) directly into the damaged heart muscle to greatly improve blood flow and reduce irreversible damage. The procedure is performed within six hours of the initial heart attack and within minutes of successfully opening the artery through angioplasty and stenting.
“We are excited to offer our patients a new minimally invasive interventional cardiac therapy. Now our cardiologists can use SuperSaturated Oxygen (SSO2) Therapy to target the heart muscle with even more precision, and prevent severe damage which often leads to heart failure,” said Khalil Kaid, MD, Director of Interventional Cardiology at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.
According to the American Heart Association up to 30 percent of heart attack patients develop heart failure within one year, and a diagnosis of heart failure carries a more than 50 percent mortality rate at 5 years. Studies show that the use of SSO2 has been associated with improved 1-year clinical outcomes, including lower rates of death and new on-set Heart Failure or Heart Failure hospitalizations.
“SuperSaturated Oxygen Therapy is one of many cutting-edge cardiac therapies available at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. Patients come to us from across the state and region to receive advanced cardiac care and our team is committed to delivering the most innovative medical, surgical and interventional cardiac procedures available, said Sergio Waxman, MD, MBA, Chief, Division of Cardiology at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, is a 665-bed regional care teaching hospital that provides comprehensive health care. Newark Beth Israel is a Top Teaching Hospital and home to one of the nation’s top 15 heart transplant centers, which has performed more than 1,100 heart transplants; RWJBarnabas Health’s Heart Failure Treatment and Transplant Program; New Jersey’s only Advanced Lung Disease and Transplant Program and a Valve Center that performs complex cardiac valve procedures, including minimally invasive transcatheter aortic valve replacements (TAVRs). Newark Beth Israel Medical Center is also home to Children’s Hospital of New Jersey (CHoNJ), which cares for children from birth through adolescence, with more than 30 specialized pediatric services including New Jersey’s largest Valerie Fund Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders; and the Children’s Heart Center that offers a complete range of medical and surgical treatments for the most complex cardiac abnormalities. The Newark Beth Israel robotic surgery program is the most experienced in northern New Jersey. RWJBarnabas Health and The Frederick B. Cohen, MD, Comprehensive Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey Breast Health Center, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey – the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center – brings a world class team of researchers and specialists to fight alongside you, providing close-to-home access to the latest treatment and clinical trials. Newark Beth Israel also offers many preventive health programs that promote wellness in the community, including The Beth Greenhouse, which provides access to fresh produce and health and wellness education to local residents.
Children’s Hospital of New Jersey (CHoNJ), located at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, cares for children from birth through adolescence, with more than 30 specialized pediatric services including New Jersey’s largest Valerie Fund Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders; and the Children’s Heart Center that offers a complete range of medical and surgical treatments for the most complex cardiac abnormalities. Children’s Hospital of New Jersey also includes a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and a Level IV Regional Perinatal Center that offers New Jersey’s only Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) therapy; and the highest level of intensive care for both mothers and newborns.
To learn more visit rwjbh.org/NewarkBeth.