Cardiac Team Acted Fast to
Save Woman’s Life

Young, healthy, active and in shape, Bridget Kaegael never imagined she’d be having heart trouble. And yet, two years ago, the 39-yearold Westport woman was suddenly experiencing what seemed like heart attack symptoms, such as severe chest pain. Her husband called 911, and Kaegael was rushed to Charlton Memorial Hospital.

Doctors in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab quickly diagnosed a coronary artery dissection — a rare and oftenfatal condition that blocks blood flow to the heart, causing searing chest pain. Kaegael needed open heart surgery immediately.

Thomas Carr, MD, Southcoast’s Director of Cardiac Surgery, performed surgery on Kaegael to bypass the damaged sections of her coronary arteries. In less than two hours after Kaegael was admitted to the hospital, the team had diagnosed her condition and begun the surgery that may well have saved her life. Kaegael didn’t have any of the risk factors typically associated with a coronary artery dissection, including uncontrolled high blood pressure or a recent pregnancy, Dr. Carr said.

Now 41 and almost completely recovered, Kaegael is savoring her good health and her good fortune.

“The heart team is fantastic,” she said. “The key is diagnosing [the condition] early, and the team here had the experience and the know-how to do it. And if it hadn’t been taken care of immediately, I wouldn’t have made it through the night. I feel so lucky that we have this kind of care so close to home.”