Procedures are scheduled electively for patients coming from home and urgently for those already admitted via emergency into the inpatient unit or in another hospital. The department provides a 12 bed, 5 chair recovery space into which patients are admitted prior to and post procedure.
Services
A list of procedures performed in the CCS with and without X-radiation to diagnose and treat:
Cardiovascular disease
- Diagnostic coronary angiography
- Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI- includes stent placement)
- A 24/7 emergency procedure service (infarct angioplasty, pacemaker insertion, etc as required).
Rhythm Management
- Electrophysiological studies and treatment as required (atrial flutter, supra-ventricular tachycardia and ventricular tachycardia ablation, (expanding services to include Pulmonary Vein Ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation);
- Insertion of single, dual and biventricular chamber permanent pacemakers
- Insertion of Automatic Implantable Cardioverter/Defibrillators (AICD)
- Cardioversion.
Structural Heart and diagnostic services for associated lung disease
- Closure of structural abnormalities such as Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) and Atrial Septal Defects (ASD) (Future plans include treatment of valvular disease)
- Right heart catheterisation.
Procedural facilitation for diagnostic and supportive therapy
- Transoespophageal echo
- Pericardiocentesis
- Insertion of Intra Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP).
Where appropriate, same day diagnostic and interventional procedures (pacemaker battery exchanges) are performed for patients coming from home after a pre-admission clinic visit ensures optimal patient preparation. This ensures a holistic patient approach in which risks are minimised for the individual.
