New facilities enhance advanced heart care in the Midlands
MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown marked a major milestone in cardiac care with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 8, celebrating the opening of a cutting-edge hybrid operating room (OR) and a 16-bed cardiac intensive care unit (CICU).
Designed to support some of the most complex heart and vascular cases, these additions reflect MUSC Health’s commitment to innovation and excellence in patient care.
“The OR expansion represents MUSC Health’s dedication to delivering innovative, patient-centered care, further solidifying its role as a leader in cardiovascular treatment in South Carolina,” said Dr. John Sutton, a cardiothoracic surgeon with MUSC Health. “Finally, we have a hybrid OR that allows us to take care of complex cases in a safer and more efficient way.”
The hybrid OR merges the precision of high-tech imaging with the capabilities of traditional surgery, enabling multiple advanced procedures to take place in one room without moving patients to other areas of the hospital. This approach improves patient safety and shortens procedure times. The space will be used primarily by cardiovascular and vascular surgeons, as well as the structural heart team.
The newly opened CICU is equally advanced, providing critical care for patients with serious heart conditions such as heart attacks, heart failure, and arrhythmias. The unit is staffed by a team of cardiologists, critical care physicians, and specially trained nurses to offer around-the-clock monitoring and personalized treatment.
“The expansion of our cardiac intensive care unit represents a significant step forward in our commitment to delivering excellent cardiovascular care,” said Dr. Joshua Coney, director of Advanced Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Medicine at MUSC Health’s Columbia Division. “This strengthens our ability to provide the most advanced and highest-quality cardiac care to our patients.”
MUSC Health’s Heart & Vascular program in the Midlands features more than 30 highly experienced specialists. The institution continues the proud legacy of Providence Hospital, which performed the Midlands’ first open-heart surgery and has served the community since 1938.
These new developments promise to elevate the level of care available in the Columbia area and beyond, bringing the latest innovations in cardiac treatment directly to patients in South Carolina.
