Alcohol Septal Ablation for Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardimyopathy

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Cardiologist seeks national attention for Ben Taub

A chance viewing of the TV show Ripley’s Believe It or Not brought 30-year-old Brian Winters of Oklahoma more than 600 miles to Ben Taub Hospital for a unique procedure that his cardiologist says may have saved his life.

Brian is recovering today. And his cardiologist, Dr. Nasser Lakkis, director of Invasive Cardiology, wants to create a National Referral Center at Ben Taub for sufferers of Brian’s condition, Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy (HOCM).

As the pioneer of the procedure, Dr. Lakkis and colleagues have performed 300 operations.

The procedure induces a small-localized heart attack to relieve a life-threatening obstruction to the left ventricle, the heart’s largest chamber.

“I envision a National Referral Center for patients from across the country to come for screening and treatment,” he said. “We could create an environment at Ben Taub that would draw patients from across the U.S. because of our clinical expertise. I know we can do it.”

Last year, Dr. Lakkis performed 15 procedures at Ben Taub. The procedure’s 98-percent success rate has attracted patients from Florida and Kansas.

One in 500 Americans suffer from the potentially deadly heart disorder. Symptoms include chest pains, shortness of breath and dizziness.

“I can walk again,” said Brian following his procedure. “I’m confident I will continue to improve.”

Brian’s father, Virgil, is also hopeful, and now knows that what he saw on television saved his son.

“Doctors in Oklahoma were telling me they couldn’t do anything more for him,” he said. “We were pretty desperate.”

He recalled the show and told his doctor about it. His doctor contacted Dr. Lakkis, who told them to come to Houston.

“All I knew was that a doctor in Houston had saved a patient from having a heart attack by causing a heart attack, so I had to try,” Virgil said.

The fight to save Brian gained more urgency after his 37-year-old brother, also suffering from the same disease, died suddenly last September.

Success stories like these spur Dr. Lakkis to continue his work to create the referral center. For more information, call 713-873-2083.