An innovative heart program is right here in the heart of Chico. Enloe Medical Center is committed to delivering better overall treatment outcomes and offering patients comprehensive heart care.
The Enloe Heart team offers a thoughtful, multi-disciplinary approach to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease to improve quality of life. Enloe keeps updated with the latest technologies to treat patients and has earned a reputation as a trusted center for cardiac treatment.
Rigorous quality designations
In 2007, the Enloe Heart Program was named as a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and was one of 20 California hospitals recognized by Blue Shield of California’s Cardiac Quality Initiative for meeting standards of excellence established by the Blue Shield Cardiac Clinical Advisory Committee. For details, see our news release
Taking advanced technology to heart with comprehensive services
Additional Information
Cardiothoracic Surgery 
Cardiac surgery at Enloe combines time-tested expertise and innovative treatment strategies to improve quality of life for Enloe heart patients.
Coronary artery bypass graft surgery
Coronary artery bypass surgery is a procedure where the blood supply to the heart is diverted around areas of blockage from atherosclerosis. The surgery provides the much needed blood supply, preventing further or potential damage to the heart muscle, and relieving symptoms of angina. It also allows the pumping ability of the heart to improve.
In order to divert the blood supply around a blocked coronary artery, a small section of non-essential artery or vein is used. These vessels can come from the radial artery in the arm, the internal mammary artery in the chest, or the saphenous vein in the leg.
Enloe offers both traditional bypass surgery and off-pump bypass surgery. Traditional bypass surgery is done with a heart-lung machine. Also called a heart bypass machine, this allows the surgeon to stop the beating heart so that the operation can performed. It was with the invention of this machine that coronary artery bypass surgery became a routine procedure. New innovations in coronary bypass surgery now allow doctors to treat patients with less invasive techniques. This is known as beating heart, or off-pump, bypass surgery. The off-pump method eliminates the need to stop the heart and use a heart-lung machine, reducing complications and allowing many patients to go home within a few days.
Endoscopic vein and artery removal
Contributing greatly to enhanced recovery is endoscopic vein removal, where healthy veins are extracted through very small incisions for reuse as new heart vessels in bypass surgery. Ninety-nine percent of vein harvesting is done endoscopically at Enloe, and Enloe routinely uses endoscopically removed radial arteries for coronary artery bypass surgery patients.
Using a small instrument called an endoscope, surgeons avoid the large incisions and send patients home with one or two incisions approximately 2 centimeters (less than one inch) in length. The new approach reduces pain and infection rates and lessens the number of stitches a patient may receive from an average of 90 stitches to two or less. It also leaves a far smaller scar. This novel approach to vein harvesting also allows for the patients to walk just a few hours after surgery, thus promoting a rapid recovery.
Surgery to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms and thoracic aneurysms
As a designated Level II Trauma Center, Enloe Medical Center also treats patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms and thoracic aneurysms. Our affiliated surgeons have had great success in managing patients who require this high-risk vascular procedure. A new treatment for these types of aneurysms, available at Enloe, is minimally invasive endovascular stent surgery.
An aneurysm is a dilatation or bulge in a blood vessel, and much like an over-inflated balloon, it is dangerous because it may burst. Aneurysms commonly occur in the aorta, the main artery leading away from the heart. In these cases, they usually happen in the abdominal aorta below the renal (kidney) arteries, which is called an abdominal aneurysm, or in the chest cavity, an occurrence known as a thoracic aneurysm. Some of the causes of aneurysms are atherosclerosis or inherited diseases such as Manfans' Syndrome.
Valve repair and replacement surgery
Valve repair and replacement is another vital part of Enloe's cardiac surgery program. When a heart valve becomes diseased and malfunctions, it can become narrowed or leaky. A narrowed, or stenosed, valve restricts the flow of blood, forcing the heart to work harder; and a leaky, or regurgitant, valve allows the blood to flow backwards.
Surgeons use prosthetic tissue heart valves and new stentless prosthetic and mechanical aortic valves, to replace damaged or diseased valves. Repair procedures range from simple annuloplasty to complex reconstructive processes.
Transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMR)
Enloe also offers transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMR) for patients suffering from angina. This procedure creates new blood vessels and allows for the proper blood flow through the heart.
Thoracoscopic sympathectomy
Other innovative surgical procedures in our program include surgery for people who suffer from severe sweating at inappropriate times. This procedure is called a thoracoscopic sympathectomy. The surgery consists of the interruption of nerve impulses to sweat glands of the palms, face, axillae (armpits) by cutting or electrocautery (burning with an electrical current). The ganglia (nerve junctions), which lead to the sweat glands of the palms, axillae, scalp and face, are accessible through the chest (thoracic cavity) because they travel along the side of the spine of the back. Using a small incision and endoscopic equipment, this area is easily approached to perform the operation.
Hyperhidrosis is a condition that that causes excessive sweating at inappropriate times. It usually occurs suddenly or happens continuously, with no apparent cause like exercise. Among the factors that aggravate hyperhidrosis are emotional stress and certain foods. High ambient temperatures, as in the hot and warm months of the year, can also set it off. The condition usually improves during the cool and cold months, and sweating usually stops during sleep. Heredity is thought to play a role in the condition; 25 percent of people with it have family members with symptoms.
Cardiac Catheterization 
In the technologically advanced suites of Enloe Medical Center’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab, board-certified cardiologists collaborate with an expert cath lab team to make diagnoses and offer a full range of treatments.
Some of the common procedures Enloe offers are coronary angiograms to test for blockage, balloon angioplasty and stenting – including bare metal and drug-releasing stents. All of these procedures work to reopen blocked or partially blocked coronary arteries.
Electrophysiology Services
Enloe’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab offers electrophysiology services (EPS) to treat abnormalities in the electrical system of the heart. These services include diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, through mapping and ablation; and rhythm management through the implantation of pacemakers and intra-cardiac defibrillators.
Cardiac Diagnostics
The skilled staff of Enloe’s Cardiac Diagnostics department performs a variety of tests to help determine the cause of patient symptoms. Common diagnostic tests include electrocardiograms (ECGs), which assess the heart’s rate and rhythm; echocardiography, which uses sound waves to create an image of the beating heart; and exercise stress tests. Other significant tests include the nuclear perfusion test and ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring, which study blood flow through the heart chambers.
Enloe also offers access to pediatric cardiologists in Sacramento through telemedicine technology. Diagnostic services for patients of all ages are offered at Enloe’s Esplanade campus, and diagnostic services for children are available at Enloe’s Outpatient Cardiology Office, at 1405 Magnolia Avenue.
Dedicated Care for Heart Patients
The Enloe Heart Team's approach to meeting the needs of patients and their families involves a coordinated health care team of highly skilled caregivers and support staff.
Our nursing staff is highly trained in providing care and education to people with heart disease. Physical therapists, occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, dieticians, social workers and case managers work together with the patient and family to assure that they receive the care and information they need before, during and after the heart procedure.
Getting back home: Many patients who have had a cardiac catheterization procedure are outpatients and will go home later that same day. Patients having an interventional procedure will spend 24 to 48 hours on our cardiac unit. Patients who have undergone cardiac surgery will spend a recovery period in our cardiac critical care unit and then go to our cardiac unit for several days. The majority of our surgery patients are discharged from the hospital four days after their cardiac surgery.
Ongoing care: See Cardiac Disease Prevention and Rehabilitation, below.
Cardiac Disease Prevention and Rehabilitation
Since 1979, Enloe’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program has offered a variety of exercise and education programs to help people with heart disease recover and lead healthier lives. Enloe’s medically supervised program incorporates education, counseling on healthy eating habits, stress management, smoking cessation as well as blood pressure control, cholesterol monitoring and diabetes management.
Enloe also supports the prevention of heart disease with classes on coronary artery disease, stress management and CPR as well as classes, education and counseling through Enloe’s Diabetes and Nutrition Education Services.
Anticoagulation Clinic
A key service for patients with blood clotting disorders, atrial fibrillation and other conditions requiring blood thinning medications is Enloe’s Anticoagulation Clinic. Our clinic is the only hospital-affiliated program in California singled out for the 2004 Roche Dream Award for Excellence in Anticoagulation Management.
Mended Hearts
Mended Hearts offers a support group, educational forums, and trained and accredited volunteers who themselves have heart disease and who visit patients. Mended Hearts is dedicated to inspiring hope in heart disease patients and their families. The Enloe Heart Program runs the Chico Chapter of this national non-profit organization affiliated with the American Heart Association. For more information about Mended Hearts, call 530.332.7655. For more heart support and educational offerings, see Healthy Hearts on Enloe's Classes page under our Community Health section of the website.
Contact Us
Enloe's Heart Program Access Line: 530.332.7655
This free and confidential referral and information service is designed to help you find the resources to meet your cardiac care needs.
Heart Program
Enloe Medical Center
1531 Esplanade
Chico, CA 95926
Outpatient Cardiology Office
For pediatric clinics
1405 Magnolia Ave.
Chico, CA 95926
Enloe's Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
Enloe Outpatient Center
888 Lakeside Village Commons
Building C
Chico, CA 95926
Additional Information
Coronary Artery Disease
The coronary arteries are small blood vessels that supply the heart with oxygen and nutrients. Atherosclerosis is the gradual accumulation of fat and cholesterol in the coronary and other arteries, that eventually restricts the flow of blood to vital organs.
When the heart does not receive adequate blood due to blockage of one or more coronary arteries, this is called coronary artery disease (CAD). Angina occurs when the blood supply is critically low and the heart muscle begins to die. It is now known that not all people with coronary artery disease experience angina, especially women and people with diabetes. Therefore the first symptom may be one of a potentially deadly heart attack (myocardial infarction), where the heart muscle is damaged from lack of oxygen and nutrients.
Women and Heart Disease
Heart disease is not only for men. It remains the leading cause of death for women, killing more women than cancer, diabetes and accidents combined. It is the cause of death in one out of three women, and it kills more women than men. Because women that have heart disease are more likely to die from the disease than men, early detection, prevention and treatment are essential.
Physician Profiles
The following physicians currently have privileges at Enloe Medical Center.
Cardiologists
Walter Kusumoto, M.D. 530.893.8806
MD Degree: St. Louis University School of Medicine
Residency: University of California, Davis
Fellowship: Oregon Health Sciences University
Board Certification: Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology; Cardiovascular Disease; Internal Medicine
Website: Arrhythmia Center of Northern California
Peter J. Magnusson, M.D. 530.893.4393
MD Degree: University of Illinois
Residency: Harbor Hospital Center (Maryland)
Board Certification: Interventional Cardiology; Cardiovascular Disease; Internal Medicine
Christopher S. Massa, M.D. 530.343.0200
MD Degree: Medical College of Wisconsin
Residency: Medical College of Wisconsin
Board Certification: Cardiovascular Disease; Internal Medicine
Eugene V. Moffett, M.D. 530.343.0200
MD Degree: University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine
Residency: United States Public Health Hospital
Fellowship: United States Public Health Hospital
Board Certification: Nuclear Cardiology; Cardiovascular Disease; Internal Medicine
Marcia A. Moore, M.D. 530.343.5006
MD Degree: University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine
Residency: Veteran's Administration Medical Center - Martinez
Board Certification: Cardiovascular Disease; Internal Medicine
Steven A. Schwartz, M.D. 530.342.0123
MD Degree: Yale University
Residency: University of California, San Francisco and Pacific Medical Center
Board Certification: Cardiovascular Disease; Internal Medicine
Peter J. Wolk, M.D. 530.342.0123
MD Degree: SUNY Health Science Center
Residency: University of California, San Francisco
Board Certification: Interventional Cardiology; Cardiovascular Disease; Internal Medicine
Julian C. Zener, M.D. 530.342.0123
MD Degree: Columbia University (New York)
Residency: University of California, San Francisco
Fellowship: Stanford University
Board Certification: Cardiovascular Disease; Internal Medicine
Cardiothoracic Surgeons
Miguel Puig, M.D. 530.894.3278
MD Degree: University of Barcelona School of Medicine
Residency: Texas Heart Institute; Baylor College of Medicine
Fellowship: Transplant Fellowship, Cardiothoracic Surgery Department, Texas Heart Institute
Board Certification: General Surgery; Thoracic Surgery
Roger Stringer, M.D. Assisting Surgeon
MD Degree: University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine (Canada)
Residency: Lehigh Valley Hospital
Board Certification: Surgery; Thoracic Surgery
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