Cardiac Patients and Doctors Implore State to Abandon Dangerous Heart Experiment.

BROWNS MILLS, N.J. -- Patients and doctors from Deborah Heart and Lung Center are speaking out in opposition to a controversial decision by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to continue a demonstration project that permits elective angioplasty in facilities without life-saving cardiac surgery backup teams. Undeterred by the NJ Supreme Court, which recently expressed its grave concern with the demonstration project, the New Jersey DHSS continues to put NJ residents at risk.

Other states, including Maryland and Massachusetts, have studied the feasibility and safety of angioplasty without cardiac surgery backup and determined that the risks were too great to permit the procedure. In Pennsylvania, the state reversed its initial approval of the procedure because of quality and safety concerns. New Jersey patients share these concerns.

Debra Kling, 52, of Beverly, New Jersey, has become one of the most vocal opponents of the project in the wake of her own scheduled, elective angioplasty performed at Deborah.

"While all of the risks were explained to me prior to my angioplasty, including the possible need for surgery, I just didn't think it would happen," said Kling. "But it did. While on the table, I experienced a complication that required a cardiac surgical team. Luckily, there was an experienced cardiac surgical backup team on-site and I was rushed right in. I cannot fathom what would have happened to me if I had to be loaded onto an ambulance and driven to another hospital; I honestly think I would have died."

Ms. Kling's concerns are valid. In fact, a study of a large pool of 600,000 patients who underwent angioplasties, the Journal of the American Medical Association found that there was a 38% higher mortality rate among patients that did not have backup cardiac surgery available on-site.

"This is one of the most important issues facing public health officials right now, because the stakes are so high," said Dr. Charles DeBerardinis, director of the cardiac catheterization lab at Deborah Heart and Lung Center. "As with all invasive cardiac procedures, angioplasty contains an element of risk to patients. In the event of a complication, it is critical that patients have access to a surgical team that is immediately available to perform life-saving bypass surgery. New Jersey is home to numerous world-class cardiac surgery facilities, and to expose patients to angioplasty without the safety net of on-site surgical backup is a risk not worth taking."

"I could have paid with my life," added Kling.