New equipment gives hospital cutting edge
STANTHORPE man Graham Martin says his dancing days may well have been over had it not been for St Andrew’s Hospital and its new technology.
In 2018, Mr Martin had been at a line dancing class when he suffered a heart attack, after which he was transported to St Andrew’s Hospital for treatment.
In February he returned, feeling short of breath, and it was discovered he had blockage in an artery of his heart.
Luckily for Mr Martin, St Andrew’s Hospital had newly purchased a Rotablator, a piece of equipment which helps remove calcium plaque from arteries.
Using a diamond coated tip, which rotates at speeds of up to 150,000rpm, the instrument bores a hole through blockages.
Mr Martin became the hospital’s first patient to undergo the procedure, and, through the use of local anaesthetic, he was awake to watch it happen.
“I was happy to have it done here, I wasn’t nervous at all because I had every confidence in the doctors,” Mr Martin said.
“It’s a marvellous thing for this hospital to be able to offer.”
Mr Martin was back on his feet days after the hour long procedure.
“Life is wonderful and I’m already back dancing,” he said.
The machine is one of a couple in Toowoomba.
“Before we had this, we had to send patients to Brisbane,” St Andrew’s interventional cardiologist Dr Pradeep Narayanan said.
“I was excited as well as apprehensive (operating on Graham), I wanted the procedure to go well.
“I thank him for agreeing to be the first subject for this procedure in this hospital.”