Hospital (GSH)
27 July 2006
Minister Uys opened a new R12 million Cardiac Catheterisation "Cath"
Laboratory at Groote Schuur Hospital today. The DG Murray Trust has generously
funded the purchase of the new lab, which will make a huge difference to the
clinical services at the hospital.
The Cardiac Clinics at GSH and at Tygerberg provide a comprehensive cardiac
service with regard to 'plumbing problems' of the heart, predominantly due to
coronary artery disease and valve diseases. This service is both diagnostic and
therapeutic and includes cardiac catheterisation and treatments such as
angioplasty and stenting (where a stent is inserted into the heart valve),
which is the major workload of any modern Cardiac Cath Lab. Various other
procedures and diagnostic studies can also be performed such as the insertion
of intra-aortic balloon pumps, and the drainage of fluid around and compressing
the heart, amongst others. In addition the Cardiac Clinic at GSH provides a
comprehensive cardiac service dealing with rhythm and 'electrical problems' of
the heart called arrhythmias.
This Cardiac Clinic at GSH remains the only public hospital in South Africa
to provide a full-time comprehensive cardiac electrophysiology service (limited
service is available in Bloemfontein and Johannesburg) and also provides
curative procedures eliminating heart rhythm problems as well as the insertion
of cardiac pacemakers and cardioverter-defibrillators to all of the Western
Cape and to many patients referred from the Eastern Cape and as far as
Kimberley and Durban.
The Cardiac Cath Lab complex at GSH is now probably the most advanced in
Africa. The new equipment will reduce waiting lists for cardiac procedures and
duration of hospital admissions, saving lives and allowing more efficient use
of staff and resources. In addition, with this equipment not only will it be
possible to deal with more complex arrhythmias that were either not treatable
before or required cardiac surgery, but also treatment will be available to
many more patients and the high standard of training of cardiac specialists, in
the face of astounding advances, will be maintained.
"Groote Schuur Hospital will now utilise the latest state-of-the-art
equipment in providing patient cardiac services and is deeply committed to
serving the needs of the local community and to the continued development of a
strong, high quality cardiology service," said Minister Uys. "The new cardiac
equipment will assist cardiologists to provide a quality health service to all
our patients," he said.
Enquiries:
Faiza Steyn
Tel: (021) 483 3235
Herman van der Westhuizen
Tel: (021) 483 2627
Issued by: Department of Health, Western Cape Provincial Government
27 July 2006
Source: Western Cape Provincial Government (http://www.capegateway.gov.za)
