Major boon for hospital

Shane Mitchell said it would also allow them to perform advanced procedures previously not offered in the Far North, including electrophysiology and structural heart repairs.

“The enhanced imaging with the laser-guided X-ray system makes it easy for the doctor to treat smaller vessels, treat more severe disease, and if needed, operate for longer while still using less X-rays,” he said.

“This will allow the surgeon to see and operate on the smallest vessels with reduced risk to the patient and less radiation used.”

Cairns Private has performed more than 12,000 procedures during the past 20 years, including angiograms, stents, pacemakers, and implanting defibrillators.

The hospital’s cardiac nurse unit manager Claire Harding said clinical staff were extremely excited about the new facility. “It’s far more superior to anything that we’ve had here before,” she said.

“Normally, cath labs are quite closed off but this has the ability to turn into an operating theatre if we need it to, to give us the ability to do invasive procedures, which will be great for our vascular work.”

She said it would also assist with patient flow through the hospital, and allow more people to be treated locally.

Cairns vascular surgeon Dr Roxanne Wu said the new system would offer huge advantages for patient comfort and safety.

“It will greatly improve local health services for vascular and aortic procedures, and it’s just going to make things quicker, safer and more comfortable for patients,” she said.