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Cardiac patient John Williams receives a checkup from cardiologist Sam Solomon, M.D., on Aug. 17. The York Hospital Heart Center performed life-saving measures on Williams while he was a patient. Solomon said an unbelievable team approach led to the miraculous outcome.
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38-year-old had a 10 percent chance of survival
The odds for survival didn’t look good for John Williams, a 38-year-old construction worker, as he was being rushed from the York Hospital Emergency Department to the Cath Lab.
In fact, they were down right bleak—10 percent, according to cardiologist Samuel Solomon, M.D., of Cardiac Diagnostic Associates.
Williams had experienced chest pains at his job site in Thomasville on June 29 and was transported to the hospital via ambulance. En route, however, he went into cardiac arrest.
By the time he reached the Cath Lab, his heart had been shocked at least nine times but his heart rhythm could not be stabilized. Additionally, CPR had been performed on him.
After initially examining Williams in the Emergency Department, Solomon knew it was going to be a difficult case to manage.
He immediately called Larry Shears II, M.D., a surgeon with WellSpan Cardiothoracic Surgery, for assistance. Cardiologist Jay Nicholson, M.D., of Cardiac Diagnostic Associates, joined them in the Cath Lab.
Once in the Cath Lab, the three physicians and their clinical teams went into action.
Over the next couple hours, the team performed several life-saving measures:
- Attached pacemaker leads to Williams' heart to stabilize its rhythm
- Isolated a completely blocked vessel and inserted a stent to re-establish proper blood flow
- Connected an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine to assist Williams' heart in pumping oxygenated blood throughout the body. Usually, this technology is employed in an operating room, but there wasn't enough time to take Williams there. So, the York Hospital team brought the technology to the patient.
Williams’ heart was shocked one more time, and his heart finally returned to its normal rhythm.
Twenty-four hours after Williams arrived at York Hospital, he was stable enough to go to an operating room and have the ECMO removed. A balloon pump was inserted to continue minimizing the stress on his heart. The balloon was removed a day later.
Remarkably, tests to Williams’ heart showed no permanent damage.
Once Williams was awake and alert, he tried to communicate with his wife, Jessica.
“He couldn’t talk because of all the tubes, so he tried writing in my hand and making gestures,” said Jessica.
“I just couldn’t understand and he rolled his eyes at me. That’s when I knew everything was going to be alright.”
The fact that Williams hadn’t suffered any neurological damage was more good news.
“With chances of less than 10 percent of Mr. Williams surviving, it is amazing that he was normal within a week. It really is a miraculous case,” said Solomon, who is proud of the skill and experience demonstrated by all those involved and the technological capabilities employed.
Amazingly, Williams was discharged on July 6. It’s no wonder that he considers himself a “lucky man.”
According to Solomon, it was an unbelievable team approach that led to the miraculous outcome.
“It started with the EMTs in the field and continued all the way through to those in the ED and the Cath Lab,” emphasized Solomon.
“We think we have a lot to offer, especially with the team approach we employ. Other hospitals just can not do what we can.”
While Williams does not remember much about his critical hours in the hospital, he and his wife are understandably appreciative.
“We can’t say enough about all the staff members we encountered and for all they did for us,” said Williams.
“Their professionalism, common courtesies and caring were wonderful.”
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How the York Hospital Heart Center team saved John Williams’ life
1. Rapid transfer from the Emergency Department to the Cath Lab
“Time is muscle,” when it comes to treating a patient experiencing a cardiac episode. The ability to quickly move Williams from the Emergency Department into the Cath Lab helped physicians to spare precious heart muscle.
2. The team brought the technology to the patient
Technology known as ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) is most often employed in an operating room as a means to pump oxygenated blood throughout the body during treatment. Instead of moving Williams from the Cath Lab to the operating room, the Heart Center team brought the ECMO machine into the cath lab so that the team could work together to render life-saving treatment. “It is rare to find a cardiothoracic surgeon with the skill, talent and confidence to employ this technology outside of the operating room,” said cardiologist Sam Solomon, referring to WellSpan Cardiothoracic Surgeon Larry Shears, M.D.
3. Unparalleled teamwork
The outstanding relationship between the cardiologists at Cardiac Diagnostic Associates and the surgeons of WellSpan Cardiothoracic Surgery allowed these medical professionals to work together, against all odds, to render life-saving treatment to a patient with an extremely critical cardiac condition.
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