Support Cardiac Care

Although the heart is the strongest muscle in the body, more people die from cardiovascular disease world-wide than from any other cause. So, when the stakes are this high, our standard of care needs to be even higher.

To continue saving lives, our hospital needs to keep pace with the latest technology and least invasive procedures to get patients home sooner. You can make a difference.

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In December 2016, Cindy Waddick suffered a heart attack. Just days later, Dr. Michael Chu performed a complex procedure to save her life. While awaiting surgery, Cindy’s partner got down on one knee and proposed in her hospital room. She was home by Christmas Eve—and one year later, the red heart pillow from her recovery carried their wedding rings down the aisle.

Tab 1

Cardiac Imaging and Technology

Cardiac catheterization (when a catheter is guided through the body to a patient’s heart) is commonly used for diagnosing and treating heart conditions. This important procedure is dependent upon medical imaging, which allows the physician to see clearly inside the patient’s body – enabling accuracy and safety in making a diagnosis or providing treatment.

Each year at LHSC, we use imaging equipment to complete more than 4,000 cardiac catheterizations. Our goal is to update and expand our equipment with state-of-the-art technology that will enhance diagnostic imaging and at the same time speed the delivery of testing and care for our patients. These investments will ensure our physicians can continue to provide cardiac care that is safer and more precise while expanding this level of care to even more patients each year.

Tab 2

Cardiac Hybrid Operating Room

Imagine a heart patient undergoing a routine procedure in a small lab to treat their chest pain. Due to unexpected complications, the patient needs to be rushed to an OR where emergency open-heart surgery is performed, but potential delays in transferring the patient could mean the difference between life and death. That’s why a new environment that combines these two spaces in one unit is essential.

Hybrid ORs are equipped with sophisticated imaging devices, often using what’s called a C-arm which intensifies the output of x-rays, giving even better views to navigate the heart. As the name suggests, Hybrid ORs are also furnished with all the necessary life-saving measures one would find in an operating room.

It’s the ideal setting for high-risk minimally invasive procedures that require complex imaging and may necessitate transitioning to open surgery within minutes. This improves patient care by increasing efficiencies and saving time and health care costs. Most importantly, it minimizes risk to the patient.