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CMC Firsts

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From humble beginnings in 1858 to a progressive modern health system thriving in Manchester, New Hampshire, Catholic Medical Center has remained true to its mission: To provide health, healing and hope to all.

Along the way, we’ve had a chance to mark several milestones by being the first in the state, first in New England or first in the country to offer innovative medical treatments and technologies.


First hospital in New Hampshire to:

  • perform (as a community hospital) open heart surgery in 1986
  • perform a completely percutaneous (no incisions) mitral valve replacement 
  • earn qualified AAHRPP accreditation for its research program
  • achieve Bariatric Center of Excellence status
  • perform robotic gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy
  • offer Firefly biliary imaging and bowel perfusion imaging 
  • offer the LINX® anti-reflux procedure
  • perform minimally invasive single-site hysterectomy using da Vinci® Robot Technology
  • offer (as a community hospital) transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
  • achieve Perinatal Care Certification from The Joint Commission
  • offer Myocardial Perfusion PET (Positron Emission Tomography)
  • perform a fenestrated endovascular aortic repair—FEVAR (in southern New Hampshire)
  • use the KONECT device in the repair of ascending aortic aneurysms 
  • offer a new heart failure treatment: the CardioMEMS™ HF System 
  • offer TCAR: trans carotid artery revascularization (as a community hospital)
  • perform the Convergent procedure—a two-step procedure which combines a minimally-invasive surgical treatment with a catheter ablation to treat patients with long-standing atrial fibrillation (AFib)
  • perform a SADI (single anastomosis duodeno-ileostomy) for surgical weight loss
  • offer the 4D imaging technology of the GE Revolution Apex 256 slice CT scanner
  • perform the first arterial thrombectomy using Penumbra’s Lightning Bolt 7

     

First hospital in New England to:

  • offer robotic-assisted prostate surgery
  • implant Watchman™ after its FDA approval
  • offer advanced 3-D mapping system (RHYTHMIA Mapping System) to better diagnose and treat all types of heart arrhythmias (in northern New England)
  • provide contrast-enhanced mammography and automated breast ultrasound (ABUS)
  • perform a laparoscopic spinal fusion
  • offer navigated spine surgery using O-arm technology
  • offer SAVI SCOUT®, an advanced FDA approved surgical technology for breast care
  • launch Telestroke Ambulance Program, for neurologists to remotely evaluate stroke patients     
  • perform a minimally-invasive surgery to treat patients with thoracic aortic disease 
  • using the Valiant Navion™ Stent Graft 
  • offer the WATCHMAN FLX™ implant to AFib patients at risk for stroke who need 
  • an alternative to blood thinners 
  • use lithotripsy to break down complex calcium in coronary artery disease—Shockwave IVL (in northern New England)
  • use the AveirTM DR Leadless Pacemaker implant after FDA approval to treat patients with cardiac arrhythmia
  • implant the first two Abbott Portico transcatheter aortic valves
  • use cryoanalgesia for treatment of pain after open heart surgery, reducing the need for opioids

     

First hospital in the USA to:

  • perform a minimally invasive spine fusion using the da Vinci® Robot Technology
  • have a neonatal unit based on couplet care
  • perform navigated OLIF (Oblique Lumbar lnterbody Fusion) using the O-arm®
  • have (as a community hospital) an Institutional Review Board (IRB) accredited by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP)


First hospital in the World to:

  • use LUMIPOINT™ mapping software to aid and enhance cardiac ablation procedures
  • to implant the WATCHMAN™ Device for patients contraindicated to anticoagulation 
  • as part of the ASAP-TOO clinical trial



 



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