The cardiac catheterization laboratory (Cath Lab) at
Campbell County Memorial Hospital is a special room with state-of-the-art X-ray equipment and computers
that allow doctors and staff to do amazing things. While used primarily
for heart procedures, the Cath Lab can be used for many other procedures
that involve blood vessels, offering treatment for a number of problems
involving veins and arteries.
A multidisciplinary team with Interventional Cardiologist
Dr. Sairav Shah and General Surgeon
Dr. Jake Rinker allow for expanded treatment options for complex disease processes. Dr.
Shah and Dr. Rinker have been working together for over a year, and believe
that their collaboration will provide the community and surrounding areas
with treatments that were previously not available.
Dr. Shah has been performing these procedures since the Cath Lab opened
in 2014. He is Board Certified in Cardiovascular Disease and Internal
Medicine, and has completed Fellowship training in Cardiology and Interventional
Cardiology. He practices at Campbell County Medical Group
Cardiology with
Dr. Nicholas J. Stamato.
Dr. Rinker has a special interest in vascular (involving the blood vessels)
surgery, having trained while in residency at Iowa Methodist Medical Center
in Des Moines, Iowa. A native of Recluse, Wyoming, Dr. Rinker returned
to Campbell County with his wife
Erica, a family practice physician, in 2016. Dr. Rinker is in practice at
High Plains Surgical Associates with colleague
Dr. Sara Hartsaw.
“It’s much more attractive for these patients to do this in
Gillette”, said Dr. Rinker. “They may not otherwise seek treatment
if it means traveling out of town.”
Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD)
Peripheral Vascular Disease or “PVD” is very similar to CAD
(Coronary Artery Disease) where the arteries become narrowed and blood
flow can become limited. In PVD this is often seen in the legs, causing
cramping in the leg muscles with walking and may lead to ulcers or even
the loss of part of the leg if blood flow is blocked. PVD is caused by
smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. To treat
PVD doctors may do non-invasive tests first. If these tests suggest PVD,
an angiogram may be performed either by CT scan or using special invasive
catheters in the Cath Lab. If a blockage is confirmed, sometimes balloons
or stents may be placed to open the artery.
Sometimes the arteries to the kidneys may become narrowed and cause high
blood pressure that does not respond to medication. In that case a stent
can open the kidney artery and often lower blood pressure.
Dr. Rinker also performs dialysis-related procedures and procedures for
blood clots in the Cath Lab.
Fistulas for new dialysis patients
A fistula permits easier withdrawal of blood for hemodialysis.
Dialysis patients often require regular procedures to keep their fistulas open
and properly functioning. Patients had to leave Gillette for these procedures
prior to Dr. Rinker’s arrival.
DVT (deep vein thrombosis, or blood clots)
DVT is a serious condition that can cause chronic problems such as lack
of mobility and damage to the valves in the veins if left untreated. Symptoms
include pain and swelling in one leg, and many patients find out they
have DVT from a visit to the
Emergency Department. DVT has traditionally been treated with blood thinning medications but
now a procedure can be done in the Cath Lab to remove the clot.
Learn more about Dr. Shah and Dr. Rinker at
www.cchwyo.org/findadoc.