A former molecular biologist and National Institute of Health researcher, Dr. Osvaldo Steven Gigliotti decided to make the jump from Ph.D. study to an M.D. program because of his desire to work directly with patients. Even after he made the leap, he never lost his passion for academic medicine.

“The cardiovascular field is heavily research-based,” Gigliotti said. “As a cardiologist, I knew I would have the opportunity to treat people and practice evidence-based medicine.”

Spearheading a new cardiac procedure

While Gigliotti currently works out of Seton Medical Center Austin, he has been part of the Seton hospital system for several years, practicing at Seton Medical Center Hays since the hospital first opened its doors in fall 2009. His spark for learning thrived at Seton Hays, where he began employing transradial cardiac catheterization, a less invasive method for performing what is generally a common heart diagnostic test.

The test, which is used to check inside the arteries for plaque and blockage, is most commonly accomplished through the femoral artery in the groin. Instead, the transradial approach enters through the radial artery in the wrist, resulting in less discomfort following the procedure and decreased bleeding complications. Patients can sit up and walk shortly afterward as compared to the femoral approach, which requires patients to lie flat on their backs for six or more hours.

This new approach offers increased patient safety, decreased costs and improved patient comfort, advantages that are gaining interest among the cardiology community. And since transitioning to this approach in October 2010, feedback from patients and the Seton nursing team has been overwhelmingly positive.

“While the transradial approach is not new, fewer than 10 percent of cardiac catheterizations performed in the U.S. use the radial approach,” Gigliotti said. “In Europe and Japan, these rates generally are higher than 50 percent and sometimes as high as 70 percent.”

When asked what helped him pursue this new technique, Gigliotti said, “I like pushing myself and finding new and improved techniques that will improve patients’ experience and quality of care. I find it really gratifying to see patients sitting up and smiling after their procedures, especially those patients who have had prior procedures done through the groin.”

Passionate, patient-driven research

Now, as a newly recruited cardiologist and co-director of medical research for the Seton Heart Institute, Gigliotti is applying his clinical research experience to build Seton’s first cardiology medical research program.

“Our goal is to create a division of the Seton Heart Institute that will conduct clinical trials that cover the entire spectrum of cardiovascular disease,” Gigliotti said.

Founded just a year ago, the Seton Heart Institute is a practice comprised of top cardiovascular specialists within the Seton Family of Hospitals. Under the direction of Dr. Mark Pirwitz, president and chief executive officer of Seton Heart Institute, the group has grown from six to nearly 20 cardiologists in just six months with a combined total of more than 100 years of experience.

Equally passionate about research, Pirwitz will assist in the establishment of what both he and Gigliotti envision will be the largest and most comprehensive cardiovascular research center in Central Texas.

“Dr. Gigliotti will be instrumental in developing and fostering the growth of academic medicine at Seton,” Pirwitz said. “By leveraging the resources from our partnership with the UT Southwestern Medical Center and the expertise from our growing team of seasoned cardiologists, we expect to be a major cardiovascular research institute in the region.”

Now, with the institute team nearly in place, the two doctors are actively spearheading the launch and growth of the research program. This includes identifying clinical projects and acquiring a clinical research staff, both of which are well underway. Several active clinical trials have transitioned with Gigliotti to Seton Heart Institute, mostly related to coronary stents. Seton Heart Institute specialists intend to take on broader research in the areas of medical devices, medication and heart failure in the near future.

This is the type of work Gigliotti says he has dreamed of, and through clinical research, he anticipates new interventional techniques and breakthrough therapies to improve patient outcomes for those suffering from heart disease.

For more information about the Seton Heart Institute, visit www.setonheart.com or call 512-324-3440.