St George's Hospital Radial Lounge
In 1992 at the OLVG Amsterdam the first angioplasty was performed via the radial artery by Dr Ferdinand Kiemeneij. Before that angioplasty was only performed via the groin. The groin is easier for the doctor but has the disadvantage that the patient needs bed-rest and there is a greater risk of bleeding. Angioplasty through the wrist requires more knowledge and skill than angioplasty through the groin but for the patient it is more comfortable, safer and the other advantage is that the treatment can be done on an outpatient basis. Following a radial procedure patients recover in a lounge furnished with comfortable chairs and a reading table. Here people can quietly relax after the treatment, while nurses monitor their health.
At St George's Hospital in Tooting, London we have introduced the concept of a radial lounge for patients having day case diagnostic coronary angiography procedures. For the last 2 years my patients are able to enjoy a more comfortable and speedier recovery thanks to the radial lounge established in James Hope Ward. The lounge has transformed part of the ward into a four-chair recovery room. Patients have the freedom to move around and use the facilities at their leisure. It also ensures patients’ dignity since they no longer need to change into a hospital gown. For a radial angiogram procedure the recovery time is much less than before when patients had the procedure though the groin. Patients who would normally have to be here for about seven to eight hours now arrive at 7.30 in the morning and are usually discharged by lunch time. The lounge supports this by creating a pleasant experience for patients to recover in. Having more chairs than the amount of beds we used to have means that we are now able to treat more people in a day. Patient feedback has been really positive and people enjoy the freedom of being able to walk around and recover in the comfort of a chair.
Please have a look at the 2 videos clips below which will give you some further information about the radial lounge and the benefits of trans-radial approach to coronary angiography and angioplasty. The films are courtesy of Dr Jack Chen at the St Joseph's Heart and Vascular Institute in Atlanta.
At St George's Hospital in Tooting, London we have introduced the concept of a radial lounge for patients having day case diagnostic coronary angiography procedures. For the last 2 years my patients are able to enjoy a more comfortable and speedier recovery thanks to the radial lounge established in James Hope Ward. The lounge has transformed part of the ward into a four-chair recovery room. Patients have the freedom to move around and use the facilities at their leisure. It also ensures patients’ dignity since they no longer need to change into a hospital gown. For a radial angiogram procedure the recovery time is much less than before when patients had the procedure though the groin. Patients who would normally have to be here for about seven to eight hours now arrive at 7.30 in the morning and are usually discharged by lunch time. The lounge supports this by creating a pleasant experience for patients to recover in. Having more chairs than the amount of beds we used to have means that we are now able to treat more people in a day. Patient feedback has been really positive and people enjoy the freedom of being able to walk around and recover in the comfort of a chair.
Please have a look at the 2 videos clips below which will give you some further information about the radial lounge and the benefits of trans-radial approach to coronary angiography and angioplasty. The films are courtesy of Dr Jack Chen at the St Joseph's Heart and Vascular Institute in Atlanta.
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