The Avera Heart Hospital of South Dakota has partnered with Boston Scientific to bring you a unique learning opportunity at the Sioux Empire Fair. The bus is actually a medical simulation training lab. It's only the second time the public has been invited in to see what doctors, technicians and nurses use for training by using a catheter to place stents and angioplasty in heart and artery diseased patients. You can see it's less invasive than open heart surgery.

Gary Sperber works for Boston Scientific. He says, "When people of heart surgery that's what they think of. Cracking open your chest. But with this they go in through the groin, fish wire up and use the catheter to select the artery to inflate the balloon and place the stent. It gives the public an understanding that, God for bid, they have to have this procedure they will at least have a good understanding of what's entailed. They also get a glimpse of how extremely talented the Doctor's are in this area to be able to do a procedure like this so effortlessly."

Representatives from the Heart Hospital think this is the perfect place to get out the word about heart health.  Lindsey Meyers does the marketing and community relations for the Avera Heart Hospital. She says, " This will help take the fear out of the unknown. Some people go through and say my oh my dad is having a stent put in next week or they know someone else who has so it's very relatable to them. It's great public education."

The mobile cardiac cath lab will be out at the Sioux Empire Fair all day Friday too and it's free to go through it.  It typically spends one day in one location five days a week... 51 weeks a year. 

 Questions call 877-at-AVERA or visit www.southdakotaheart.com