Surgeons bring new life-saving technique to Derriford

PATIENTS will no longer have to travel out of the area for a life-saving treatment thanks to the determination of the cardiology team at Derriford Hospital. A patient was recently the first to receive the revolutionary treatment put into use after the department spent four years working to make it available here in Plymouth.

- CLARE AINSWORTH

The patient, who has been waiting for a coronary angioplasty, a procedure that uses a balloon to open a narrowed heart artery, to allow for a stent to be fitted in their heart, was able to have the treatment closer to home thanks to the innovation of the cardiology team at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP).

Due to the high-risk nature of the procedure, it was necessary to use an artificial heart pump, called an Impella, to ensure the patient’s heart was supported throughout the minimally invasive complex and high risk angioplasty and stent procedure. The whole procedure was done with the patient fully awake and they went on to make a quick and safe recovery.