Treatments
Angioplasty or Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)
Coronary Angioplasty or PCI is a technique used for the
treatment of narrowed or blocked coronary arteries and is similar
to coronary angiography. A balloon catheter is passed from an
artery in the leg or arm and used to widen or unblock the vessel
and in many cases a coronary stent will be implanted to help keep
the artery open.
The procedure is carried out in the Angiography Department and
patients are usually discharged the following day.
Cardiac Surgery
Cardiac surgery such as cardiac bypass(CABG) and aortic/mitral
valve replacement is performed by internationally reknowned
Cardiac
Surgeons.
Recent advances in cardiac surgery techniques enable open-heart
surgery to be performed without the need to bypass the heart this
is called "beating heart surgery" or "off-pump surgery" (link to
news article). This new technique greatly shortens
operating time and reduces the risk to the patient.
Should bypass be necessary Bupa Cromwell Hospital has specialist
cardiac trained theatre practitioners/nurses as well as
a Chief Perfusionist. Further information on what is
involved in cardiac surgery can be found here (link)
Following surgery patients are expertly cared for in our seven
bedded critical care unit which encompasses intensive care(ITU) and
high dependency(HDU). The amount of stay required in ITU or
HDU will depend on each individual patient but normally
post-surgery patients can expect to stay one night in ITU and HDU
before returning to the Cardiac Ward.
On the Cardiac Ward patients are cared for by experienced
cardiac staff including nurses and Surgical Fellows providing on
site medical cover 24 hrs a day.
See a list of our Cardiologists and Cardiac Surgeons.
Bupa Health Information
How
coronary artery bypass graft surgery is carried out (external
factsheet)