Source: Waikato District Health Board
| A refurbished laboratory unveiled at Waikato Hospital last month will mean shortened wait times for cardiac patients and a safer working environment for staff.
Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand Waikato’s head of cardiology, Dr Rajesh Nair describes the re-opening of a fourth Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory (cath lab) as significant. “The modern equipment utilised in this new lab enables us to perform more complex work. Each day is broken up into morning and afternoon sessions with Coronary procedures accounting for the majority of those at about 17 each week. “Electrophysiology procedures are carried out every day in the new Lab 4, amounting to 10 sessions a week, while structural heart procedures take up about three sessions per week. Because of the variances associated with the different types of procedures and utilisation of specialised staff, we estimate the new lab will give us the ability to treat about 20% more patients.” Dr Nair said this will have a positive effect on patient wait times while at the same time, because of the more advanced equipment, result in lower exposure to radiation during procedures for both patients and staff. “The modern technology allows for the digital capture of images taken from the X-ray while advanced software allows better contrast visualisation, meaning fewer X-rays are required.” Dr Nair said the refurbishment was 12 months in the making and this capability will be added to at the end of the year with the planned modernisation of another lab. “Such technology allows us to not only carry out tertiary level procedures but also to be innovative and procedures developed here in the Waikato have become commonplace globally. “The Cardiology department at Waikato Hospital is now recognised as one of the ‘thought leaders’ for heart disease treatments to the rest of the world.” Dr Nair said Waikato’s transformation to world-leader in the field of cardiac catheterisation was grounded in the efforts of a true pioneer in that field of medicine, the late Dr Denis Friedlander, who the hospital’s four cath lab has been named after. |
What are Cath Labs? A catheterization laboratory, commonly known as a cath lab, is a hospital examination room with diagnostic imaging equipment used to visualize the arteries and chambers of the heart and treat any stenosis or abnormality found. Cardiac catheterization is a procedure in which a thin, flexible tube (catheter) is guided through a blood vessel to the heart to diagnose or treat certain heart conditions, such as clogged arteries or irregular heartbeats. An important part of treating heart conditions in Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand Waikato, a cath lab is staffed by a team of different specialist medical staff, usually led by a cardiologist. A doctor may send a patient to a cath lab to diagnose and treat coronary artery disease, heart attacks, chest pain, congestive heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. Coronary procedures are the most common procedures carried out in Waikato cath labs, taking up 17 sessions a week. A session is a morning or afternoon period. Structural heart procedures take up 3 sessions per week while Electrophysiology procedures are carried out every day in Lab 4 amounting to 10 sessions a week. Waikato Hospital’s cath labs carry out 45 different procedures including: · Aortic valve implantation |
“Denis is considered the godfather of cardiology in the Waikato. He arrived here in 1966 as our first cardiologist and while here established cardiac surgery in our region.
“In a career spanning 30 years, Denis established the Waikato Coronary Care Unit, introduced cath labs to our hospital, set up a marathon clinic and the Halcyon Club for cardiac patients’ rehabilitation.
“To be able to combine the opening of our refurbished cath lab with the rededication of our facility to the ‘Friedlander Suite’ was an honour a long time in the making.”
Dr Nair said what made the event particularly memorable was that the Head of Anaesthesia and Surgery, Michelle Sutherland, the Medical Director of Anaesthesia and Surgery, Dr Cam Buchanan and retired Cardiologist and Head of Medicine, Dr Clyde Wade were all able to honour Denis, with his family present at the reopening of the facility named in his honour.
Cardiac Cath Lab team
