What does it take to cross a 100% blocked artery and open the door to treatment when others may think there are no options?

On this episode of The Heart of Innovation, I'm joined by my co-host Dr. John Phillips as we talk with Dr. Brett Bennett, an Interventional Cardiologist and CTO expert, about the challenging world of chronic total occlusions, also known as CTOs.

A CTO is a completely blocked artery, and crossing it requires skill, strategy, tools, and experience. Dr. Bennett shares what makes these cases so complex, how physicians approach them, what patients should understand, and why expertise matters when dealing with advanced coronary artery disease.

Dr. Bennett has a special focus on chronic total occlusion intervention and complex coronary intervention, and his work has helped his program become one of the top CTO centers in the Southeast. He is also actively involved in research related to coronary artery disease, novel coronary stents, congestive heart failure, arrhythmia, antiplatelet therapy, and artificial intelligence in heart disease diagnosis.

If you or someone you love has been told they have a blocked artery, this is an important conversation.

Please watch, subscribe, and share so more patients and families can find this information.

Call to Action:
Subscribe: @TheWayToMyHeart
Call the Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS
Visit: TheWayToMyHeart.org
Join: TheGreatCirculationChallenge.org for our PAD Awareness Month walking challenge
Comment below with your questions about CTOs, coronary artery disease, or artery blockages
Share this episode with someone who needs hope, answers, or another perspective

Hosted by: Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips

#HeartOfInnovation #CTO #ChronicTotalOcclusion #BlockedArtery #CoronaryArteryDisease #InterventionalCardiology #DrBrettBennett #HeartDisease #Cardiology #PatientAdvocacy #KymMcNicholas #DrJohnPhillips

What does it take to cross a 100% blocked artery and open the door to treatment when others may think there are no options? On this episode of The Heart of Innovation, I'm joined by my co-host Dr. John Phillips as we talk with Dr. Brett Bennett, an Interventional Cardiologist and CTO expert, about the challenging world of chronic total occlusions, also known as CTOs. A CTO is a completely blocked artery, and crossing it requires skill, strategy, tools, and experience. Dr. Bennett shares what makes these cases so complex, how physicians approach them, what patients should understand, and why expertise matters when dealing with advanced coronary artery disease. Dr. Bennett has a special focus on chronic total occlusion intervention and complex coronary intervention, and his work has helped his program become one of the top CTO centers in the Southeast. He is also actively involved in research related to coronary artery disease, novel coronary stents, congestive heart failure, arrhythmia, antiplatelet therapy, and artificial intelligence in heart disease diagnosis. If you or someone you love has been told they have a blocked artery, this is an important conversation. Please watch, subscribe, and share so more patients and families can find this information. Call to Action: <ul> <li>Subscribe: @TheWayToMyHeart</li> <li>Call the Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS</li> <li>Visit: TheWayToMyHeart.org</li> <li>Join: <a title="https://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fthegreatcirculationchallenge.org%2F&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1786560840000000&usg=AOvVaw0hQM_HuyxpQWROGe5be16y" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fthegreatcirculationchallenge.org%2F&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1786560840000000&usg=AOvVaw0hQM_HuyxpQWROGe5be16y" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="4">TheGreatCirculationChallenge.org</a> for our PAD Awareness Month walking challenge</li> <li>Comment below with your questions about CTOs, coronary artery disease, or artery blockages</li> <li>Share this episode with someone who needs hope, answers, or another perspective</li> </ul> Hosted by: Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips #HeartOfInnovation #CTO #ChronicTotalOcclusion #BlockedArtery #CoronaryArteryDisease #InterventionalCardiology #DrBrettBennett #HeartDisease #Cardiology #PatientAdvocacy #KymMcNicholas #DrJohnPhillips

All of us have the power to create change. The advances in technology are now such that if you have an idea, it’s easier than ever to execute on it. “Kym McNicholas On Innovation” shares the journeys of successful entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors from around the world who will inspire you to create your own financial independence. The show also features some of the most advanced technologies you’ve never heard of that could be have an impact on your life, your business, and your career. 

Regular featured segments include “The Edge” which highlights businesses that are game-changing in the enterprise. Plus, each week in “HealthTech”, you’ll hear about a company that’s creating better, safer, faster, and cheaper technologies that will improve patient care and lower costs. And in our “Female Seeking Startup” series hear the success stories of some of the most powerful women who are creating game-changing technologies.

Produced and Published by The Innovators Network (http://TheInnovators.Network)

The Heart of Innovation with Kym McNicholas

The Heart of Innovation is 60 minutes with life and limb saving potential. Emmy Award-winning Journalist and Patient Navigator Kym McNicholas and Interventional Cardiologist Dr. John Phillips discuss new exciting ideas and innovation in healthcare. They tackle some of the greatest barriers to timely, effective patient care and discuss solutions with physicians, clinicians, policy makers, and most importantly, patients.

The Heart of Innovation is 60 minutes with life and limb saving potential. Emmy Award-winning Journalist and Patient Navigator Kym McNicholas and Interventional Cardiologist Dr. John Phillips discuss new exciting ideas and innovation in healthcare. They tackle some of the greatest barriers to timely, effective patient care and discuss solutions with physicians, clinicians, policy makers, and most importantly, patients.

The Heart of Innovation

100% Blocked Artery? How CTO Experts Get Through It | Dr. Brett Bennett

One year ago, Mama Joyce was facing an above-knee amputation after peripheral artery disease had progressed to its most advanced stage, chronic limb-threatening ischemia, or CLTI. Her daughter, Jae, called the Global PAD Association's Leg Saver Hotline looking for one more chance. We helped facilitate Mama Joyce's transfer to an advanced multidisciplinary limb salvage team with the experience, tools, and techniques needed to take another look. Today, Mama Joyce is not only standing on that leg. She is walk, walk, walking! Now, her extraordinary journey has been documented in a peer-reviewed case report published in Vascular Disease Management by HMP Global. I am deeply honored to be a co-author alongside Dr. David Allie, Dr. Kerry Thibodeaux, and Dr. Amit Amin. Dr. John Phillips and I welcome Mama Joyce andher daughter Jae back to The Heart of Innovation one year after we first shared their story. We talk about the fight to get another set of eyes on her case, the imaging and advanced revascularization that helped restore blood flow, the multidisciplinary wound care that followed, and the determination of a patient and daughter who refused to give up hope. We also discuss why this publication matters. This is the first peer-reviewed case report we have co-authored documenting the role patient advocacy can play in helping someone facing amputation reach an experienced limb salvage team. Mama Joyce's outcome cannot be promised for every patient. But her story is a powerful reminder of why patients should understand their diagnosis, ask whether all appropriate imaging and treatment options have been explored, and seek an urgent second opinion from an experienced limb salvage specialist when time and their medical condition allow. Read the peer-reviewed case report: https://www.hmpgloballearningnetwork.com/site/vdm/case-report/extreme-limb-salvage-facilitated-patient-advocacy-multidisciplinary-care-and Watch our original conversation with Mama Joyce and Jae: https://www.youtube.com/live/2f95s6hZKsQ?si=62VmoO8gqs8AUTOz Facing an amputation or being told there are no other options? Call the Global PAD Association Leg Saver Hotline at 1-833-PAD-LEGS or visit PADhelp.org. We help patients understand the questions to ask and connect with experienced limb salvage specialists for additional opinions. Subscribe to our youtube channel: @TheWayToMyHeart for more patient stories, physician conversations, and lifesaving information about peripheral artery disease. Join The Great Circulation Challenge and help us walk the 60,000 miles of the human circulatory system: https://padwalk.org/register.html Please share Mama Joyce's story. It may reach someone who needs to know that it is okay to ask questions, seek another set of eyes, and make sure every reasonable option has been explored. This program is for education and awareness and is not a substitute for medical advice. Every patient and medical situation is different, and outcomes will vary. Never delay urgent or medically necessary treatment while seeking another opinion. Always consult your own healthcare team. #PeripheralArteryDisease #LimbSalvage #PatientAdvocacy #legpain #legcramps #chroniclimbthreateningischemia #criticallimbischemia #peerreviewed #diabetes #PADsupportgroup #globalpadassociation

One year ago, Mama Joyce was facing an above-knee amputation after peripheral artery disease had progressed to its most advanced stage, chronic limb-threatening ischemia, or CLTI. Her daughter, Jae, called the Global PAD Association's Leg Saver Hotline looking for one more chance. We helped facilitate Mama Joyce's transfer to an advanced multidisciplinary limb salvage team with the experience, tools, and techniques needed to take another look. Today, Mama Joyce is not only standing on that leg. She is walk, walk, walking! Now, her extraordinary journey has been documented in a peer-reviewed case report published in Vascular Disease Management by HMP Global. I am deeply honored to be a co-author alongside Dr. David Allie, Dr. Kerry Thibodeaux, and Dr. Amit Amin. Dr. John Phillips and I welcome Mama Joyce andher daughter Jae back to The Heart of Innovation one year after we first shared their story. We talk about the fight to get another set of eyes on her case, the imaging and advanced revascularization that helped restore blood flow, the multidisciplinary wound care that followed, and the determination of a patient and daughter who refused to give up hope. We also discuss why this publication matters. This is the first peer-reviewed case report we have co-authored documenting the role patient advocacy can play in helping someone facing amputation reach an experienced limb salvage team. Mama Joyce's outcome cannot be promised for every patient. But her story is a powerful reminder of why patients should understand their diagnosis, ask whether all appropriate imaging and treatment options have been explored, and seek an urgent second opinion from an experienced limb salvage specialist when time and their medical condition allow. Read the peer-reviewed case report: <a title="https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hmpgloballearningnetwork.com%2Fsite%2Fvdm%2Fcase-report%2Fextreme-limb-salvage-facilitated-patient-advocacy-multidisciplinary-care-and&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1785783960000000&usg=AOvVaw3jUeW1CAKa4hyHeKILJ81R" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hmpgloballearningnetwork.com%2Fsite%2Fvdm%2Fcase-report%2Fextreme-limb-salvage-facilitated-patient-advocacy-multidisciplinary-care-and&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1785783960000000&usg=AOvVaw3jUeW1CAKa4hyHeKILJ81R" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="1">https://www.hmpgloballearningnetwork.com/site/vdm/case-report/extreme-limb-salvage-facilitated-patient-advocacy-multidisciplinary-care-and</a> Watch our original conversation with Mama Joyce and Jae: <a title="https://www.youtube.com/live/2f95s6hZKsQ?si=62VmoO8gqs8AUTOz" href="https://www.youtube.com/live/2f95s6hZKsQ?si=62VmoO8gqs8AUTOz" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="2">https://www.youtube.com/live/2f95s6hZKsQ?si=62VmoO8gqs8AUTOz</a> Facing an amputation or being told there are no other options? Call the Global PAD Association Leg Saver Hotline at 1-833-PAD-LEGS or visit PADhelp.org. We help patients understand the questions to ask and connect with experienced limb salvage specialists for additional opinions. Subscribe to our youtube channel: @TheWayToMyHeart for more patient stories, physician conversations, and lifesaving information about peripheral artery disease. Join The Great Circulation Challenge and help us walk the 60,000 miles of the human circulatory system: <a title="https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fpadwalk.org%2Fregister.html&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1785783960000000&usg=AOvVaw13ZBhrmPrldOXO1sVNoRc9" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fpadwalk.org%2Fregister.html&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1785783960000000&usg=AOvVaw13ZBhrmPrldOXO1sVNoRc9" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="3">https://padwalk.org/register.html</a> Please share Mama Joyce's story. It may reach someone who needs to know that it is okay to ask questions, seek another set of eyes, and make sure every reasonable option has been explored. This program is for education and awareness and is not a substitute for medical advice. Every patient and medical situation is different, and outcomes will vary. Never delay urgent or medically necessary treatment while seeking another opinion. Always consult your own healthcare team. #PeripheralArteryDisease #LimbSalvage #PatientAdvocacy #legpain #legcramps #chroniclimbthreateningischemia #criticallimbischemia #peerreviewed #diabetes #PADsupportgroup #globalpadassociation

Avoiding Amputation And Walking | A Peer Reviewed Extreme Limb Salvage Case

The human body contains approximately 60,000 miles of blood vessels. This September, during PAD Awareness Month, Dr. John Phillips and I are inviting people around the world to help us walk every one of them together.

The Great Circulation Challenge is a free global walking challenge bringing together patients, physicians, clinicians, researchers, vascular industry teams, caregivers, families, and anyone who wants to improve their circulation.

We will follow the journey of a drop of blood through the human superhighway, beginning in the left side of the heart and traveling through the aorta, brain, arms, hands, legs, feet, veins, lungs, and back home to the heart.

Along the way, we will stop at the major milestones of the circulatory system and explain why every part matters, especially the arteries supplying the legs and feet.

Peripheral Artery Disease, or PAD, is poor circulation caused by plaque narrowing or blocking the arteries, most commonly in the legs. It is more prevalent and, when it reaches its advanced stages, can be deadlier than prostate cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer combined.

Yet millions of people do not know they have it.

Leg cramping, aching, heaviness, fatigue, slowing down while walking, cold feet, discoloration, numbness, and wounds that do not heal should never simply be dismissed as normal aging.

Walking is medicine.

For people living with PAD, structured walking can help improve circulation, build endurance, increase walking distance, and encourage the development of natural collateral pathways around blocked arteries.

Throughout September, every participant's steps will contribute to our shared 60,000-mile goal. After the global challenge is complete, participants will be invited to continue their own individual Circulation Journey until they personally reach 60,000 miles.

REGISTER FOR THE GREAT CIRCULATION CHALLENGE THIS SEPTEMBER:

https://padwalk.org/register.html

Registration is free. You can join an existing team or create one for your family, physician, clinic, hospital, workplace, school, patient group, or community.

NEED HELP WITH PAD?

Call the Global PAD Association Leg Saver Hotline:

1-833-PAD-LEGS 1-833-723-5347

Our team can help you better understand PAD, prepare questions for your doctor, explore walking resources, and connect with experienced vascular specialists when needed.

FIND A WALKING PROGRAM

Learn about supervised exercise therapy and structured walking programs for PAD:

https://www.thewaytomyheart.org/pad-w...

Subscribe to our channel and join us as we raise awareness, improve circulation, and work together to save life and limb.

#PeripheralArteryDisease #PADAwareness #PADAwarenessMonth #GreatCirculationChallenge #WalkingIsMedicine #ImproveCirculation #CirculatorySystem #VascularHealth #HeartHealth #LegCirculation #Claudication #LimbSalvage #SaveLimbsSaveLives #CardiovascularHealth #SupervisedExerciseTherapy #StructuredWalking #WalkForHealth #GlobalPADAssociation #TheHeartOfInnovation #LegSaverHotline

The human body contains approximately 60,000 miles of blood vessels. This September, during PAD Awareness Month, Dr. John Phillips and I are inviting people around the world to help us walk every one of them together. The Great Circulation Challenge is a free global walking challenge bringing together patients, physicians, clinicians, researchers, vascular industry teams, caregivers, families, and anyone who wants to improve their circulation. We will follow the journey of a drop of blood through the human superhighway, beginning in the left side of the heart and traveling through the aorta, brain, arms, hands, legs, feet, veins, lungs, and back home to the heart. Along the way, we will stop at the major milestones of the circulatory system and explain why every part matters, especially the arteries supplying the legs and feet. Peripheral Artery Disease, or PAD, is poor circulation caused by plaque narrowing or blocking the arteries, most commonly in the legs. It is more prevalent and, when it reaches its advanced stages, can be deadlier than prostate cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer combined. Yet millions of people do not know they have it. Leg cramping, aching, heaviness, fatigue, slowing down while walking, cold feet, discoloration, numbness, and wounds that do not heal should never simply be dismissed as normal aging. Walking is medicine. For people living with PAD, structured walking can help improve circulation, build endurance, increase walking distance, and encourage the development of natural collateral pathways around blocked arteries. Throughout September, every participant's steps will contribute to our shared 60,000-mile goal. After the global challenge is complete, participants will be invited to continue their own individual Circulation Journey until they personally reach 60,000 miles. REGISTER FOR THE GREAT CIRCULATION CHALLENGE THIS SEPTEMBER: https://padwalk.org/register.html Registration is free. You can join an existing team or create one for your family, physician, clinic, hospital, workplace, school, patient group, or community. NEED HELP WITH PAD? Call the Global PAD Association Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS 1-833-723-5347 Our team can help you better understand PAD, prepare questions for your doctor, explore walking resources, and connect with experienced vascular specialists when needed. FIND A WALKING PROGRAM Learn about supervised exercise therapy and structured walking programs for PAD: https://www.thewaytomyheart.org/pad-w... Subscribe to our channel and join us as we raise awareness, improve circulation, and work together to save life and limb. #PeripheralArteryDisease #PADAwareness #PADAwarenessMonth #GreatCirculationChallenge #WalkingIsMedicine #ImproveCirculation #CirculatorySystem #VascularHealth #HeartHealth #LegCirculation #Claudication #LimbSalvage #SaveLimbsSaveLives #CardiovascularHealth #SupervisedExerciseTherapy #StructuredWalking #WalkForHealth #GlobalPADAssociation #TheHeartOfInnovation #LegSaverHotline

Can We Walk All 60,000 Miles of the Human Circulatory System?

Could a "pulled muscle"... constipation... loss of appetite... or back pain actually be the warning signs of an aortic aneurysm or aortic dissection?

The sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham has sparked an urgent national conversation about one of medicine's deadliest and most overlooked conditions.

In this episode of The Heart of Innovation, I am joined by my co-host, Dr. John Phillips, and renowned vascular surgeon Dr. Sungho Lim from Rush University Medical Center to answer the questions millions of Americans are now asking:

• What exactly is an aortic aneurysm?

• What is the difference between an aneurysm and an aortic dissection?

• Why are so many people diagnosed only after a catastrophic emergency?

• What symptoms should never be ignored?

• Can back pain, abdominal pain, or chest pain be warning signs?

• Should people with high blood pressure be screened?

• Does family history matter?

• Why does the United Kingdom have a national abdominal aortic aneurysm screening program for certain men, while the United States takes a more limited approach?

This conversation is deeply personal for me.

My own mother died from an abdominal aortic dissection. Looking back, there were warning signs that seemed to fit other diagnoses. Her back pain was attributed to longstanding spine and sciatica problems. Her smaller meals and loss of appetite were thought to be related to Crohn's disease, even though it was in remission. She described what felt like a tearing sensation that was believed to be a pulled muscle.

Like so many families, we were left wondering:

Could this have been recognized sooner?

If you or someone you love has high blood pressure, a history of smoking, vascular disease, connective tissue disorders, or a family history of aneurysm or dissection, this is a conversation you should not miss.

Please remember: This program is for education only and should not replace medical advice. If you develop sudden severe chest, back, abdominal, or tearing pain, call 911 or your local emergency services immediately.

If this conversation helps even one family recognize the warning signs sooner, it will be worth it.

Need help finding a vascular specialist or getting a second opinion?

Call the Global PAD Association Leg Saver Hotline:

1-833-PAD-LEGS (1-833-723-5347)

Our patient navigators help connect patients with experienced vascular specialists across the United States.

If you found this episode helpful:

• Subscribe to @TheWayToMyHeart

• Like this video

• Share it with your family and friends—you never know whose life it could save.

• Leave your questions in the comments. We may answer them in a future episode.

#AorticAneurysm #AorticDissection #HighBloodPressure #HeartHealth #VascularSurgery #CardiovascularHealth #HeartDisease #TheHeartOfInnovation #RushUniversity #PeripheralArteryDisease #PAD #LindseyGraham #KnowTheSigns #SaveALife

Could a "pulled muscle"... constipation... loss of appetite... or back pain actually be the warning signs of an aortic aneurysm or aortic dissection? The sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham has sparked an urgent national conversation about one of medicine's deadliest and most overlooked conditions. In this episode of The Heart of Innovation, I am joined by my co-host, Dr. John Phillips, and renowned vascular surgeon Dr. Sungho Lim from Rush University Medical Center to answer the questions millions of Americans are now asking: • What exactly is an aortic aneurysm? • What is the difference between an aneurysm and an aortic dissection? • Why are so many people diagnosed only after a catastrophic emergency? • What symptoms should never be ignored? • Can back pain, abdominal pain, or chest pain be warning signs? • Should people with high blood pressure be screened? • Does family history matter? • Why does the United Kingdom have a national abdominal aortic aneurysm screening program for certain men, while the United States takes a more limited approach? This conversation is deeply personal for me. My own mother died from an abdominal aortic dissection. Looking back, there were warning signs that seemed to fit other diagnoses. Her back pain was attributed to longstanding spine and sciatica problems. Her smaller meals and loss of appetite were thought to be related to Crohn's disease, even though it was in remission. She described what felt like a tearing sensation that was believed to be a pulled muscle. Like so many families, we were left wondering: Could this have been recognized sooner? If you or someone you love has high blood pressure, a history of smoking, vascular disease, connective tissue disorders, or a family history of aneurysm or dissection, this is a conversation you should not miss. Please remember: This program is for education only and should not replace medical advice. If you develop sudden severe chest, back, abdominal, or tearing pain, call 911 or your local emergency services immediately. If this conversation helps even one family recognize the warning signs sooner, it will be worth it. Need help finding a vascular specialist or getting a second opinion? Call the Global PAD Association Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS (1-833-723-5347) Our patient navigators help connect patients with experienced vascular specialists across the United States. If you found this episode helpful: • Subscribe to @TheWayToMyHeart • Like this video • Share it with your family and friends—you never know whose life it could save. • Leave your questions in the comments. We may answer them in a future episode. #AorticAneurysm #AorticDissection #HighBloodPressure #HeartHealth #VascularSurgery #CardiovascularHealth #HeartDisease #TheHeartOfInnovation #RushUniversity #PeripheralArteryDisease #PAD #LindseyGraham #KnowTheSigns #SaveALife

100% Blocked Artery? How CTO Experts Get Through It | Dr. Brett Bennett

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