By Ian Thompson | Daily Republic | April 27, 2009
Col. Chris Thompson, right, the chief of cardiothoracic surgery at David Grant Medical Center, performs a stint procedure in the cath lab at UC Davis Medical enter in Sacramento Friday. Assisting at left is nurse Cornel Barbuta. UC Davis Medical Center and David Grant have been working together for three years to help establish a cardiothoracic surgery program at Travis Air Fore Base. Photo by Brad Zweerink
TRAVIS AFB - Heart surgery for veterans and military members could soon be a possibility at David Grant Medical Center.
David Grant has worked with UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento for three years to help create a cardiothoracic surgery program that will allow Travis Air Force Base to provide such care.
'The goal is to perform our first open-heart surgery next spring,' said Col. Chris Thompson, David Grant's chief of cardiothoracic surgery.
As it is now, patients in need of heart surgery are transferred to area hospitals such as Queen of the Valley in Napa.
David Grant worked out an agreement last year to allow Air Force surgeons to operate at UC Davis Medical Center as the program and its support services are being established at David Grant.
Since July 2008, four Air Force doctors have commuted to Sacramento, said Maj. Daren Danielson, a cardiothoracic surgeon at David Grant. He called the relationship 'seamless.'
'It is a way for them to get some experience and maintain their skills in preparation for the program at David Grant,' said Dr. David Wisner, interim chief of surgery at UC Davis Medical Center.
The transformation has begun at David Grant to create an operating room and cardiology suite, which Danielson said will be 'one of the best in the country.'
See the complete story at the Daily Republic online.
