Top cardiologists visit North Staffordshire
One hundred of the world's top cardiologists visited North Staffordshire last week to share their knowledge. Even more impressive was the live Satellite connection with colleagues at University Hospital of North Staffordshire's catheterisation laboratory.
The consultant cardiologists at University Hospital were able to speak to the delegates housed at a conference centre and take questions while they watched cardiac procedures performed at the hospital. The annual educational conference is organised by the cardiology team at the University Hospital, and is now in its 11th year.
Dr Martin Allen, clinical director for Cardiology, said: "Bringing the world's best cardiologists to North Staffordshire is a testament to what the Cardiology Department have achieved. They come here because the team are at the forefront of pioneering transradial catheterisation in the UK. Being able to speak to the delegates while the consultants are working in the laboratory with a patient has major educational benefits. The delegates are able to learn valuable lessons in patients care that they will able to use when they return to their home country."
Transradial catheterisation is a procedure performed to diagnose and treat arterial disease. The technique involves gaining access to the radial artery in the wrist so that a minute wire can be fed through into the heart. The operation has traditionally been performed using the femoral artery in the groin. However, using the artery in the groin can cause problems with the blood supply to the leg.
Dr Allen said: "University Hospital was one of the first trust's in the UK to regularly use the wrist to gain access to the heart. Six years ago just one in ten operations nationwide used the wrist, now around half of operations use the radial artery. Much of this change has come about through the educational efforts of the cardiology team at University Hospital being able to help other cardiologists around the country learn the technique. Transradial procedures are safer for patients and that can only be a good thing. Patients can now be discharged very early after this type of procedure, which is good for them and good for the hospital."
The two day conference featured live operations beamed from University Hospital and a second day of operations via satellite link from in Paris. The audience was made up of consultants from the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, India and several European countries. In addition to the live case teaching, eminent cardiologists around the world gave lectures to the delegates.
This important meeting is only one part of the larger training program developed by the University Hospital's Cardiology Department, which reflects its important role in national and international education.