City medics get to the heart of the matter for tenth year

The two day event at the Northern General Hospital, being held for the tenth consecutive year, provides training to medics working in catheterisation laboratories.

They carry out procedures where catheters are guided through patients’ arteries into the heart to diagnose and treat a variety of heart conditions.

These include the use of stents to open blocked heart arteries, repair holes within the heart or mend its electrical system.

Consultant interventional cardiologist Dr Ever Grech led the course, which was also organised by senior sisters Ann Matto and Eileen Quinn, and radiographer Jim Heppenstall.

Staff on the course watched live demonstrations via video-link to the South Yorkshire Cardiothoracic Centre laboratories at the Northern General Hospital and spoke to the doctors performing the procedure.

There were also lectures, panel discussions, debates and interactive workshops including hands-on practical tuition.

Dr Grech said: “A team of knowledgeable medical, nursing, radiology and cardiac physiology technical staff is vital to the success of the modern cath lab. This course does emphasise the importance of team working which is achievable through consistency and perseverance.”

John Robinson, 61, of Nottinghamshire, one of the patients whose operation was transmitted live, said: “It was interesting to watch and hear what was happening.”