Health Direct - Summer 2018 - 9

vacant areas of Pralle's leg and chest
wall where the vessels were removed.
The body has several veins and compensates by finding other routes
for circulation.
Because of Pralle's history of stroke
and atrial fibrillation, Dr. Toon performed two additional procedures.
A left atrial appendage ligation was
done to prevent blood from pooling in
the heart and to reduce the risk of a
second stroke, and a CryoMaze procedure was done, which targets the
rhythm of the heart and eliminates
atrial fibrillation.

Leroy Pralle
in Salina
Regional's cardiac
rehabilitation
program

Recovery, Part of a
Successful Surgery
Pralle's bypass surgery was on October
9, 2017. After five days of recuperating, he was released from the hospital
and his progress was closely monitored
through home visits and in the cardiac rehabilitation program at Salina
Regional Health Center.
Heart surgery patients are visited
twice at home by an advanced provider
on the heart team in order to review
medications, perform an overall checkup
and answer any questions a patient
might have after surgery.
"We started doing home visits after
Dr. Toon read about a study on its

effectiveness in reducing hospital readmissions after heart surgery," Bogart
says. "Our readmission rate has gone
from 12 percent to zero since starting this program. It's proven to be
very effective."
The cardiac rehabilitation program
helps patients develop healthy, active
lifestyles. The physical component of
rehab entails patients wearing a heart
monitor and exercising three times a
week under the supervision of trained
cardiac rehab nurses. The emotional
component assists those having a

difficult time processing their diagnosis
through support and counseling.
By Thanksgiving, Pralle was
back outside doing what he loves:
hunting, fishing and hand-crafting
wood furniture.
"I'm basically doing anything and
everything I want to do now," Pralle says.
"Dr. Toon and his staff were very professional. Angie and Justin were super."
Thankful to be alive after all he'd
been through last year, Pralle adds, "I'm
a retired pastor. It's pretty obvious that
my survival is a miracle." 1

Early Detection

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, causing one in every
four deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During a heart attack, blood stops
supplying oxygen to the heart and if circulation is not resumed quickly, heart tissue begins to die irreparably.
Dead tissue not only makes it difficult to operate but results in long-term complications for the patient.
Leroy Pralle's situation is ideal because the disease was discovered before any heart damage was done. So
how do you find heart disease before it hurts you?
"Listen to your body," says Angela Bogart, nurse practitioner for Salina Regional's Heart Center. "You are
your best advocate. If you notice anything different or notice that you are getting tired more easily, talk to your
doctor. He or she will help identify whether there is an issue and determine the best approach moving forward."

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http://www.srhc.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Health Direct - Summer 2018