TIFTON — The Tift Regional Medical Center Heart and Vascular Center welcomes new interventional cardiologist Anthony Burke, DO, FACC, FASNC.  

Dr. Burke will work alongside Dr. Paul Murray, Dr. William Hancock, Dr. Jonathan Tronolone, Dr. Joseph Turner and Dr. William Kaiser in providing cardiovascular services for patients. 

Burke will perform procedures at the TRMC Heart and Vascular Center and conduct evaluations, office-based treatments and follow-up exams at Affinity Clinic.   

Burke diagnoses and treats heart conditions including coronary artery disease, abnormal rhythms (arrhythmia), valve problems, congestive heart failure and more. 

As an interventional cardiologist, he provides general cardiology services but also specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of heart conditions using minimally invasive techniques often involving catheters, which are small, flexible tubes inserted into the body. 

The catheter is carefully threaded into the heart using an x-ray machine that produces real-time images, known as fluoroscopy. Once the catheter is in place, contrast material is injected and images of the heart are obtained.

Angioplasty, also known as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), is a procedure in which a narrowed section of a coronary artery is widened with a balloon catheter. In most cases, a stent is placed at the same time.

With these techniques, Burke can often achieve results similar to those of more invasive methods like open surgery, while minimizing pain, recovery time and complications.  

With the addition of Burke, TRMC now has three interventional cardiologists, one invasive cardiologist, one vascular surgeon and an internist who interprets cardiac studies.

“I’m excited to have joined this growing program,” said Burke. 

“I look forward to serving patients here in South Central Georgia. TRMC has an impressive heart and vascular facility with the latest technology and a great team of cardiovascular professionals.”

Board certified in cardiology, Burke earned his medical degree from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed an internal medicine residency at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pa. 

He followed with a cardiovascular disease fellowship and an interventional cardiology fellowship at Oklahoma State University Medical Center in Tulsa, Okla. 

Prior to joining Affinity Clinic, Burke practiced cardiology in Tulsa, Okla. and Augusta, Ga.

For more information or to make an appointment or referral, please call 229-391-4100.  Affinity Clinic, a part of Tift Regional Physician Group, is located in Tifton at 2225 Highway 41 North.